The Genin Chronicles
by Beeeee
Summary: Team 7's memories would never fade. A collection of Pre-Shippuden one-shots, drabbles, chapters based on Doujinshi's etc. Team 7. Sasusaku.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi. Well i've finally made up my mind about what i'm going to write about. _

_Basically, this ff is going to consist of various little (or long, we'll see) one-shots etc. all set Pre-shippuden. Purely because i think these type of fics are severely lacking._

* * *

**Introductions**

* * *

There were many happy memories of Team 7 as Genin.

Even the most tedious of missions had at least one amusing memory to accompany it, even if the rest were bad and best forgotten.

Though the years had passed and team 7 was no longer, well, not the original team anyway, the memories were still there – residing in all four of their minds forever more, whether they liked it or not.

Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.

Team 7 from Konoha, Village hidden in the leaves.

* * *

_This is possibly the shortest thing i've ever written. Ever. _

_Dont worry, this is purely just a introduction and the proper chapters will start next._


	2. Musings

_Okay, first chapter. Are you aware how stressful it is choosing what your first proper chapters going to be like? Cause its like the one which everyones going to use to judge whether to read the rest of the ff or not!_

_But anyway, this ones not the best, i guess but its a start!_

* * *

**_Musings_**

* * *

Kakashi couldn't pin point when he started to notice it. It being the moment Sakura's feeling for Sasuke began to change in to something more, something different. Naturally, with them only being young, he was on almost every mission with them- whether he was watching from afar and letting them do their own thing, or ushering them along like a sheepdog would a sheep. But indefinitely, he noticed a change.

At first, it was the obvious things which struck him as strange.

She was quieter, for a start. Sakura Haruno had decreased in volume and obnoxiousness. She was much less outright about her feelings for Sasuke.

_Although any 14year old girl is going to have her moments of weakness, _the jounin thought as he reminisced about overly obvious hints and offers on Valentine's Day.

Apart from the small hiccups, which he assumed any girl was prone to, she was much more reserved about her affections for the boy. Kakashi had noted over time that she was more inclined to bite her tongue to stop any overly exaggerated hate comments spilling out of her mouth towards Naruto, if the two boys were to start fighting or bickering. Instead, she would ask them to stop fighting and simply tell Naruto that 'Sasuke-kun is right', quietly but strongly siding with the young Uchiha.

Kakashi wasn't overly sure which started this peculiar turn of events but he wasn't complaining. The girl had never won herself any points with either boys when she was hopelessly fawning over Sasuke in such a ridiculous manner.

The next thing he noticed was the way she hugged him. It was a strange thing to notice, he was aware. He wouldn't have noticed it at all if he hadn't of been watching over the boy so closely after his curse mark had been activated. Just before Kakashi had taken Sasuke away to train for the final rounds, Sakura had found them saying she wanted to say goodbye since she thought they'd be gone for so long. Kakashi had said yes, of course, but had come to the understanding that Sasuke was still sour about the girl wanting him to forfeit the previous preliminary rounds. So he understood when the atmosphere felt so awkward in the room. He would have left, if he hadn't had needed to watch Sasuke so closely. He remembered as she apologised, genuinely sincere and moved forward to embrace him, much to the younger boys disdain.

Kakashi had looked away as to not make the situation more awkward than it already was.

"Get off, Sakura."

Was Sasuke's reply to her affection. This had bought the Jounin's eyes back to the pair, and this is when he noticed it, causing him to tilt his head ever so slightly in curiosity.

Sakura's arms were around his neck, instead of his middle. Her head rested deep in the crook of his neck and her body was pressed completely to his. This was a full body embrace. A type of hug a girl as young as her should not feel the need for.

He assumed at the time, that it was a one off – because they would be away so long, it was a leaving hug.

Completely normal.

However, as they completed mission after mission after this, he had started to notice it more. After he received some sort of injury, after a close encounter with an enemy, a successful mission and so on…

She would sigh as she hugged him, occasionally burying her face deeper into his shoulder, before realising she had probably overstepped the limit of the boy's need for personal space before stepping back and carrying on as chirpy as normal. It was peculiar. Though, the embraces were not long or dragged out, they were still short and sweet, short enough that Naruto would be completely oblivious to anything more than just Sakura casually hugging Sasuke, but it was strange the amount of effort in which she put into them, he thought.

Though, the thing that perplexed him more so was the fact that Sasuke seemed to be _used _to it. After a while, despite never quite ridding the vaguely irritated facial expression, Sasuke began to accept her embraces. Oh by no means did he reciprocate the gesture. Of course he didn't. But he would no longer push her off or tell her to get lost. He would simply stand motionless as she hugged him, with the occasional minuscule turn of his head to glance at the girl in a very vague annoyance. Kakashi couldn't help but think that this change in the boy's attitude only spurred on the girl.

Once he had seen these hugs many a time, Kakashi began to notice the smaller details and he began to wonder when he had become so observant.

With any cutting or harsh comment from Sasuke directed at her, Sakura would flicker.

The first time he had seen it was when Sasuke was in a particularly bad mood and had said something overly cruel about her.

He really wishes she didn't do it.

Strange, everything about this girl lately was strange. Her eyes tell him everything. Its as if, in that one moment of cruelty, her face faulters and her eyes.._.flicker_. You can suddenly see all of the hurt she's feeling rush across her face in one fluid motion.

Kakashi knew why it bothered him so much. Rin, his team mate, used to have a habit of doing the exact same thing when he would unintentionally hurt her feelings or such. Once again, once he had seen Sakura do it once, he could not ignore it. Sakura was always so easy to read as well.

She was practically an open book.

Though, he was not used to a repressed, secretly hurt Sakura. He was used to her looking physically hurt and then bursting into tears. It actively confused him as to why the sudden change. If he was to think about it, he would say that it was after the Chunin exams was the most dramatic occurance of these uncommon habits but then he realised, the change had not been sudden at all.

Her feelings had festered from school-girl crush into …_something _else during their time spent as a team. It wasnt love, she was much too young to feel such an adult emotion, but having to grow up a bit in order to act as a real shinobi had just catalysed the process.

"Naruto, Sasuke-kun! I'm glad you're both okay!"

"Ah gee Sakura-chan, why does Sasuke-teme always get all the hugs?"

Kakashi wasn't sure if he liked the change, he decided, as he looked at the dark haired boy and young girl in front of him.

It could never end well.

"Kakashi-sensei, are _you_ okay?"

"Huh?" Sakura's curious voice had broken him out of his musings, her eyes conveying her obvious confusion.

He glanced at his team in front of him, worn out and home-bound, and he smiled ever so slightly - as to just allow the crows feet on his eyes to show. Of course he wouldnt get the easy team.

"Hai, just spacing out." He chuckled in reply.

* * *

_What dya think?_


	3. Perfume

_This didnt end how i expected it to but ah well._

* * *

**Perfume**

* * *

"All these bottles are so pretty, Minaka-san!" Chirped Sakura enthusiastically as her wide eyes scanned the various shelves of perfumes and ointments each delicately labelled with a yellow tag. All of the different shaped bottles seemed to sparkle in their respective colours- indigo, emerald, magenta and so on. They were positively beautiful in her eyes.

The woman behind the counter laughed lightly at the young girl, "Why thank you, Sakura-chan."

"Are you sure I can have any one I like?" She asked, her eyes only briefly leaving the bottles, to glance at the young owner of the shop in honest curiosity.

"Of course, you can! You all can." She smiled, "It's the least I could do after you all decorated my garden so beautifully!"

The young woman's gaze caught on the boy standing, bored, on the other side of the counter with his sensei and she pouted as she leaned over towards him.

"Are you sure you don't want one Sasuke-kun? They're not all perfume, you know" She tilted her head, a frown on her face. The boy turned his head away slightly before muttering a polite 'no thank you' causing the women to stand up straight again, smiling slightly in amusement at his behaviour.

"This is very generous, Minaka-san." His eye crinkling into crow's feet, "Thank you." He said, resting a hand on Sasuke's head and ruffling his hair slightly, causing the boy to emit an irritated look lean out of his reach.

"Oh you're all so polite," She answered coyly, waving him off, "I'm just glad that garden got finished! With the baby on the way, there's no way me and my husband could have finished it." She said happily, resting a hand on her large pregnant bump.

"Aa, though, I will never understand women and their infinity for perfumes," Kakashi said, turning to glance at Sakura whom was now picking up different bottles and comparing them, taking the occasional sniff. "Ah, careful Sakura, some of those are very strong, very potent, ne?" Kakashi warned lightly, then turning a blind eye to the girl to look back at Minaka.

The woman laughed lightly, ignoring Kakashi's advice to the young girl "I'm not sure it's just a woman's thing Kakashi-san, I haven't seen Naruto-kun in a while!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at this as it was incredibly true. Naruto had disappeared down one of the aisles of bottles and jars at least 10 minutes ago. Not a sound had been heard from him since, an anomaly when dealing with Naruto of all people.

"This is so cool, dattebayo!"

All abnormalities must succumb to normality eventually, they supposed. As they turned their heads towards the sound, a long string of enthusiastic rambles could be heard from an aisle a few back from Sakura. Minaka giggled slightly, her brown eyes shining in amusement as they met Kakashi's exasperated ones.

Sakura picked up a tiny round bottle with a thin neck, barely larger than her thumb. It was pastel pink in colour and had a tiny dark brown corkscrew lid.

_So pretty!_

She held it between her thumb and index finger, eyeing it closely, bringing the bottle to her eyes and scanning it in interesting.

_I wonder what it is…_

"SAKURA-CHAN LOOK AT THIS ONE!"

The previously MIA boy had suddenly made an appearance behind the girl, carrying an armful of various different ointments and pots, his sudden outburst scaring the living daylights out of the unsuspecting girl in front of him. Sakura let out a high pitch scream and flinched, the tiny bottle tumbling from her hands in the process. Both green and blue sets of eyes watched as the small bottle fell from her fingertips, falling through the air in what seemed to be slow motion until it smashed inharmoniously into the hard wooden floor – tiny crystals of glass sprinkling around their feet.

"Naruto!" She seethed, as a pink mist escaped the bottle, floating in the air before disappearing completely. Sakura breathed in. It smelled sickly sweet, like evaporated sugar or vanilla – the sugariness of the scent made her head feel woozy and she had to shake her head a few times to feel normal again.

Except she didn't feel normal.

"Sakura." Kakashi reprimanded slowly, sighing at the broken pieces of glass as he and Sasuke walked over to them.

No, she definitely didn't feel normal.

She felt… _wonderful. _

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan! I didn't mean to! I-"

"Oh Naruto-kun, don't worry!" She beamed, "You were just excited to see me, ne?" Sakura said, light pink dusting her cheeks- a shy, abashed look upon her face as she glanced at him from under her lashes, a tentative hand to her mouth.

_Naruto-KUN _thought both Kakashi and Sasuke simultaneously.

"I…er…" Naruto stumbled over his words, as he looked at Sakura's expression with a light blush on his cheeks. "Yeah, I guess" He said carefully, he couldn't help but smile a little.

"Are you alright Sakura?" Kakashi asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. Minaka shuffled over from her place behind the desk and glanced at the label which was now lying amongst the shattered glass on the floor, and she sighed but giggled, nonetheless.

"What." Sasuke said rather bluntly to the women, whom now had a look of amusement on her face.

"Looks like Sakura inhaled the 'love water'," She laughed, looking at the girl whom had shuffled closer to Naruto at some point an unusual glint in her eyes.

_Love water?_

"Surely there's no such thing, Minaka-san." Kakashi chided, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly at the ridiculous suggestion.

"Aa, indeed. We normally give a single spray of it to people going on blind dates," She smiled as she explained, "To make them instantly a little more attracted to that person."

Sasuke sighed in irritation. This was all so tedious.

A startled cry to Naruto made him glance towards his two teammates, just in time to see Sakura attach herself to his arm in a very familiar way. Naruto laughed, a little overwhelmed with the situation, the pink ever present on his cheeks. It was obvious he was delighted.

"…So its only temporary?" Sasuke's ears perked back up at the conversation between the shop owner and Kakashi and he turned back towards the woman.

"Ah yes, of course, it's simple biology Kakashi-san, eventually the chemical will be used up in her body and she'll return to usual." Minaka said, watching Kakashi pick up the shards of glass and thanking him politely.

"Hai, well, arigatou again Minaka-san," Kakashi said, a little more exasperated than last time.

* * *

It had been 3 hours since the incident and Sakura was still following Naruto around like a lovesick puppy.

They had at least 8 more hours to go until they were back at Konoha so Kakashi had suggested they set up camp on one of the hills they had been trudging up for the last hour.

"Sasuke, can you start the fire please?" Her soft voice rang out over the clearing and snapped Sasuke from his thoughts of home and peace and quiet. He slowly got up and walked over to the stack of sticks she had arranged for the fire. By this point, she was still normally hovering around him, thanking him profusely for lighting the fire for them.

She wasn't anymore.

Sasuke's gaze slowly made its way over the fire and onto the pair sitting on the grass on the other side. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he noticed their proximity. Sakura was laying partially on her side, her legs splayed out to the left of her and her arm was firmly linked with Naruto's.

It was sickening really. That ridiculous look on the idiots face was enough to lose some sort of respect for the other boy. Sakura was currently pointing out different stars and constellations to him in the night sky, but Naruto's gaze was firmly set on Sakura's face, a goofy grin shaping his mouth. He was absolutely loving this whole situation. It must be like a dream come true for him. Sasuke tore his gaze from them, shaking his head lightly in irritation. However, a light laugh from Sakura bought his eyes back to the pair.

"Naruto-kun!" She squealed, "Haven't you been listening to me!" She didn't seem offended by the notion at all, if anything, the blush on her cheeks still visible in the dull light, had intensified.

"Sorry Sakura-chan!" He beamed, some remnants of the goofy grin still marring his features as he looked at her.

"That's okay…"

Sasuke decided this was the time to finally close his eyes and sit behind the fire, and sharpen his kunai and shuriken in his weapons pouch. He roughly sat on the damp grass, cross legged, and started to sort his kunai.

The way Sakura was acting reminded him of the early days of Team 7 – before the Chunin Exams.

_Before she had any respect for herself. _He thought, a scowl immediately gracing his face, as he remembered how irritating she was back then. Admittedly, he still found her _annoying _now but how she was acting today, calling her annoying, would be a drastic understatement. She wasn't acting how she would with him, she was acting like the girl he knew from the academy. _A_nother laugh from Naruto dragged his interest back to the pair with a sour look upon his face.

"A-ah Sakura-chan…what are you-"

Sakura was now nose to nose with Naruto, her gaze downwards, making her eyelashes fan out across her cheeks. Their position had made the boy wide eyed and bright red.

_You have to be kidding_

Sasuke was now watching the turn of events openly, his brows furrowed and with a sudden spike of irritation in his chest. Could these two just not split for 2 minutes? They were on a mission for kami-samas sake. Sakura was going to snap out of this _phase _in a matter of hours and everything will be back to normal, so why bother making such a massive deal of it now?

He watched, his eyes growing ever so slightly larger as their faces grew closer together, Sakura's head tilting to the side. Another stab of anger hit his chest. This whole situation was _ridiculous. _Naruto was just letting himself in for disappointment in the long run and him knowing Sakura, she'll just be angry with Naruto and embarrassed with herself. Just when his thoughts of irritation had reached their peak and Sakura and Naruto were a hairbreadth away, the fire crackled violently- sending sparks up and causing a loud bang which startled all three of them.

Naruto and Sakura had jolted apart and were now looking vaguely awkward.

"I think we should get some sleep now," Sakura suggested airily, standing up and rubbing her eyes lightly. "Huh, Naruto-kun, Sasuke?"

"Hn. Whatever."

"Yeah I guess so."

Kakashi returned when they were setting out their sleeping bags, walking up to them with his orange book in hand.

"I miss anything?"

He was met with a scowl and two embarrassed expressions. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

* * *

"Hey, teme isn't this great?" Naruto said, as he enthusiastically skipped up beside him.

"Hn, fantastic." He replied sarcastically as he carried on walking, not bothering to match the other boys pace.

"Hey! Wait, Sasuke-teme!" Called Naruto as he jogged to catch up with him again, "Why are you so teme-ish today?" Naruto eyed him with a strange expression, something resembling a mix of suspicion and curiosity.

They boy ignored him, simply deciding to close his eyes, shove his hands in his pockets and continue walking.

"Oh. I see." Murmured Naruto in an all knowing voice, a grin stretching its way across his face, "You're jealous!"

Sasuke scoffed, eyes still closed, his brows knitted slightly closer together, "Tch, _Hardly." _

"Yes you are! Whats the matter, teme, jealous that Sakura-chan is _mine _now?" Naruto chuckled, his eyes narrowed in glee. This really was the best day ever.

"She's going to hate you when she snaps out of it," He said, smirking at Naruto, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at the girl walking beside their teacher.

"She doesn't hate me!" Naruto said in horror, a mildly offended look upon his face, "You just cant stand that you lost to me for a day." He pouted, shoving his own hands in his pockets and turning his face away from his friend.

And just like that, he had made it a competition between them. Another sort of rivalry which was slightly more risky and one that Sasuke had no interest of up keeping.

"It isn't a competition, Dobe," Sasuke frowned, as he popped on eye open to look at the boy beside him.

_It is for me, _Naruto thought bitterly.

"Plus, it's hardly a competition is she needs to be _drugged_ to like you." Sasuke smirked, turning to face the boy. However, his smirk slipped ever so slightly as he saw the other boy's expression; vaguely hurt and downtrodden.

"Whatever, Sasuke-teme." Naruto bit out before he turned and walked over to Sakura, making her beam at him and link her arm with his. Sasuke's eyes narrowed while he watched over his shoulder as the two boys' gazes met – Naruto's cold and hurt.

A slap on the shoulder made him twist his head around to find Kakashi now beside him, the wrinkles around his eye in crow feet.

"It's just temporary," He said simply. Sasuke hissed under his breath and shrugged his hand of his shoulder, and kept his head down and face sour for the rest of the journey.

The new competition could prove to be much more detrimental than they had first expected – whether they knew it was occurring or not.

* * *

"Are you feeling better, Sakura?" Kakashi asked, handing her a flask of water as she sat shivering on a log.

"H-hai, I feel kinda cold now though," She shivered, pulling a blanket around her a little tighter.

"Aa, Minaka-san did mention that you might have some flu-like symptoms after it wore off,"

Instead of a reply, he was met with a flurry of sneezes and a sigh from the girl, "I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't worry about it, Sakura-chan!" Naruto smiled at her, hands behind his head. In reply, Sakura shook her head lightly and barely looked at him.

"Naruto go get some fish to eat."

"Hai!"

Sasuke who was standing next to Kakashi sighed. They should have been home hours ago. This was longest, most tedious mission ever. His irritated sigh seemed to catch Sakura's attention as she looked up at him, the two locking gazes.

"Sasuke-kun," She said quietly, patting the bark next to her of the log she was sitting on, motioning for him to sit down. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, defensively, not moving from his spot.

"I'm going to check Naruto hasn't drowned or something." Kakashi said casually, slipping his orange book out of his pocket and walking off in the direction Naruto had, a few minutes ago.

"Please," She asked, pulling the blanket around her tighter, ignoring Kakashi's exit.

Sasuke hesitantly walked over to the log and sat next to her.

Half an arms width away from her.

Noticing this, Sakura frowned and sighed.

"Gomen if I have been really…" She tried to find the right word, "…_Annoying_, today" She smiled ruefully at her choice of words.

Sasuke had his eyes closed, a somewhat vexed expression on his face. "Hn. Why are you apologising to me."

His words made her slide closer to him, the girl silent for a long time before she placed her head on his shoulder, hesitantly, worried she may scare him off. When he didn't move, though admitted felt a little rigid under her touch, she exhaled deeply, closing her eyes.

"…Because I wouldn't want you to think any worse of me than you already do."

After this she was silent, breathing steadily, head still leaning against his shoulder.

After this, he was silent, thinking about how he did not care for this situation or her words, or her head against his shoulder_._

* * *

Kakashi and Naruto sometime later to find Sakura asleep on Sasuke's shoulder and the boy still sitting there, eyes downcast in thought.

His guarded expression lifted slightly when he saw them approach, Sasuke and Naruto's eyes meeting. Sasuke's gaze did not waver when Naruto's fell from the boy, to the girl beside him. Naruto frowned slightly before pulling a recovered smile onto his face.

"Well you've won this time but I'll get you back teme!" Naruto chuckled, a determined look upon his face.

Sasuke suddenly became hypersensitive to the girl sleeping on his shoulder, and dismissed the boy with a turn of the head, and a 'Tch, idiot'.

And just like that, the seed of competition had been unconsciously planted in both their minds, and neither would like it one bit.

* * *

_What did you think? I started off reaaaaaaaaaaaally into this but i dont think it ended up going very well._

_I tried to make Sasuke as non-OOC as possible because i hate that. _


	4. Dealing

_This one is so bleh, i'm not sure what i was thinking (or if i was at all) sorry guys)_

* * *

**Dealing**

* * *

She was too much to deal with all of the time.

He had come to this conclusion on their lengthly walk back to Konoha, after a particular dull mission catching some woman's escaped birds.

She was _exhausting. _

She complained about Naruto's superhuman amounts of energy but, kami-sama, she was hardly Shikamaru.

Sakura had not stopped pestering him for the whole trip.

The _whole _trip.

Some would say this was an exaggeration. But they would never know the suffering he had to endure within his team.

Other girls, he could simply ignore and go about his way.

No, not Sakura.

Somehow the girl had, whether she realised it or not, obtained her own fan club – despite the fact it consisted of just Kakashi and Naruto.

So, when he would ignore her, the usual for irritating squealing girl protocol, he would either be reprimanded by Kakashi for being 'rude' or he would succumb to more noise from Naruto about how he should stop being such a 'teme' and be nice to his precious 'Sakura-chan'.

"Sasuke-kun, what was your favourite bird? I loved the blue and pink one! It was just so beautiful!"

One more word from her and he was about to tear out his own eyes.

No.

That would result in more fussing from her.

He needed something more permanent.

…Like death.

"Sasuke-kun, are you listening? I know I talk too much sometimes but you're just so quiet! You should really open up!" She smiled coyly at him, wrapping a strand her long candyfloss coloured hair around her finger.

"Hn."

There was approximately 3 hours left back to Konoha.

_God help me._

* * *

He refused to believe that that just happened.

_Stupid dobe, getting in my way. _

"Hahahahahaha teme that was so funny!" Laughed Naruto, practically doubled over, "You fell…ON YOUR FACE ahahahaha,"

Sasuke sent a hefty glare his way, from his dusty seat on the floor. When he realised his stony stare was having little to no effect on the still laughing boy, he set his gaze on the small gash on his leg.

He sighed, irritated by the whole situation, angered by his own blunder.

"Might want to watch where you're going in the future, Sasuke," Kakashi chuckled from the background.

Sasuke silently seethed, he could almost feel his blood boiling beneath his skin.

And a slight flush of heat run up his neck and settle around his ears from embarrassment and shame.

_Kuso._

Just as he was about to stand up and beat the crap out of Naruto, a soft 'Wait!" stopped him.

Sakura glided down in front of him, kneeling by his slightly bent, outstretched legs. "Let me put some of this on first, might get infected or something!" She pulled a face of disdain, pouting, before reaching for something in her pouch. She took out a small tub of ointment and popped off the lid.

… _Medical supplies?_

Sasuke's eyes followed her movement as she sent a smile his way, before scooping a small amount of the paste out of the tub on two of her fingers. She lowered her fingers to just above his leg before glancing up at him with a heavy blush on her face, "May i?" She asked, shyly.

His eyes narrowed slightly but eventually gave a minute nod of the head, signalling for her to continue.

She smiled once again and placed her fingers to the gash, sending a sharp pain through the boy's leg. Sasuke gritted his teeth in response and she muttered a small apology before continuing.

Her sudden gentle nature surprised him. The girl he was used to, would have tried to embrace him, or at least would have squealed, by now.

Though, she was still the same annoying love-sick girl, he thought with disdain. Everyone could see that by the ridiculous colour of her face as she finished spreading the medicine over his cut.

However, she seemed slightly more reserved. Not as…full on. She didn't once squeal over the fact he was letting her touch him or help him, and she didn't try to initiate any sort of inappropriate or unnecessary physical contact.

And he was _okay_ with this.

"There you go, Sasuke-kun!" She said happily as he stood, the small pain in his leg completely gone.

He briefly thought that maybe one day, she'd make an okay medic nin.

Her life's intent seemed to revolve around making him happy so why couldn't she apply that to others?

"Hn, arigatou." He thanked her quietly, returning back to walking.

"T-that's okay," He heard her gush from behind him.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wish she would stay like that.

Like she was when she was healing his leg. Quieter, more focused.

It was no secret that Sakura was intelligent and had a talent for Genjutsu.

Sasuke had known that since their bell test.

She scored near perfect grades in Ninja theory tests. If she could just realise her own talents, pull back a bit and stop obsessing over …useless things,

He thought, maybe then, could he begin to deal with Sakura Haruno.

* * *

_Not fluffy or anything but theres a slight hint whatever. _

_It'd be really great if you lot could let me know some of your own ideas for this! :) Any ideas/thoughts/things you wished had happened during their Genin days i can help incoporate into here, or even any doujinshis. So, lemme know! _


	5. Games

Sakura giggled quietly as she bounded over branches, wood splintering due to her haste. The outraged scream of her rival, Ino, had her laughing once more and springing to the ground in search of her newest hiding place.

It was nice to have some time off, she thought, as her back hit one large elm trees she had deemed a brilliant hide out. She leant her head on the trunk of the tree, trying to hear any signs of their 'enemy' nearby.

Her eyes wandered to the blue sky between the leaves as she caught her breath and she briefly wondered what had come of Sasuke and Naruto.

Really, they were meant to be playing as a team. A small chuckle left her lips at the thought.

…She had no guilt over sacrificing Naruto.

* * *

"Sakura-chan!" He watched, stupefied, as she bounded out of view, leaving him, her laugh echoing through the clearing.

He was surrounded.

Left for _dead._

Abandoned by his own team.

"Maybe I'll have to start calling her Sakura-teme…" He muttered under his breath, his shoulders slumping.

"FOREHEAD! I'LL GET YOU." His eyes were bought back to Team 10, whom were surrounding him in a triangle formation.

"Ino, focus." Shikamaru chided at his blonde team mate.

Ino spun towards Shikamaru, fisted raised and seeing red.

…Well, brown.

"LOOK WHAT SHE DID" She screeched, wiping the mud from her face in disgust and letting out a shrill shriek once again.

"It's just mud, Ino…" Chouji said quietly, his female's teammate dangerous aura silencing him.

"It's in my hair, Shikamaru!" She whined finally, combing through her blonde locks with her fingers.

"Can we please get back to the game, what's the point in playing this if we're not actually _playing_?" Shikamaru sighed, closing his eyes in exasperation.

"Fine," Ino snapped, "RIGHT NARUTO YOU ARE SO GOING DOWN-…"

…

…

…

"Naruto?"

Shikamaru sighed at the boy's absence.

"Troublesome."

* * *

Sasuke did not like games.

But at this moment, he was oddly proud.

He was currently perched on a high branch, just outside of the clearing, in the depths of the woods. His eye's followed Sakura's figure, far down on the forest floor, darting between the trees and to safety as she, too, abandoned Naruto and his ridiculous plans. He didn't think Sakura had such selfishness in her, he almost smirked at her actions.

Where-as he saw this as ridiculous waste of time, he could see the use in it. To him, he could treat it as a task to hone his stealth skills.

They were 'playing' tag … but shinobi style. No children's game would allow the use of jutsu's to catch the enemy.

It had been an unsaid decision that teams were to stick together, unless one of you were caught or the catcher …then it would just make you a fool to stick with the person who was trying to catch you.

The game was over when everyone was caught.

He vowed to be the last standing. He was an Uchiha, it would be embarrassing if he wasn't.

I mean, who would out-play him?

Kiba?

_Hyuuga_?

Good god, no.

Suddenly, his thoughts were broken by a tingling sensation on his hand. Onyx eyes glanced down to see a beetle crawling over his knuckles, his eyes narrowed before he shook off the insect.

…Then he noticed one on the branch…and on the trunk of the tree.

"Kuso!" He cursed as Shino appeared from the adjacent tree, a flurry of bugs at the ready.

"Phoenix Fireball Jutsu!"

Insects did not fare well to fire.

He used to smoke to bound away, putting as much distance between him and the 'enemy' as possible.

* * *

"Aaaaah c'mon Hinata!" Naruto pleaded, "You don't _reaaaaaally _want to get me do you?!"

Hinata's eye twitched at the boy on his knees before, begging to be let go.

This really was just her luck.

Admittedly, she had been getting into the game as much as everyone else had. She felt free and happy running through the trees, no worry of guilt of letting down her team mates weighing on her shoulders for once. Although she had been caught by Shikamaru quite quickly, she was happy to be on the catcher's side. She preferred to hunt rather than be hunted. Much less stress.

…Well, that's what she _thought._

"A-ano, Naruto-kun, that's the p-point of the game," She stuttered nervously, taking an ironic step backwards, hands clasping together.

"…O-okay. I get it." Naruto's eyes suddenly fell downcast, his shoulder's slumped, "I'm not worth even playing with, I'm that much of a failure."

Hinata squeaked in surprise at his sudden depressed demeanour, stiffening instantly.

"N-no Naruto-kun, I-I…" She began, her eyes wide as she reached out to him, before her shyness got the better of her; making her retract them slowly.

"Cheap try, Naruto,"

Kiba appeared from the trees behind him, hitting him round the head, "Taking advantage of Hinata's nature like that… Oh and tag by the way."

"Dammit Kiba!" Naruto chuckled, rubbing the bruise forming on his head, "You could see through me that easily, huh?"

"You're a terrible actor," Kiba remarked with smirk, before turning to the girl, "Great job on not caving Hinata!"

She blinked, looking between the boys, before nodding quickly with a small smile, "Arigatou,"

…_I-I think._ She thought, still midly confused at what had just happened.

"So whose left now?"

Kiba scratched his head in thought, "I had to let Choji go, to get Ino earlier…"

"Ah, I got Chouji about an h-hour ago," Hinata offered quietly, making Kiba hum in thought once more.

Naruto began checking names off on his fingers, mumbling as he did so.

"I think there should only be two left…" Kiba said eventually, "And that's..-"

"My teme team mates!" Naruto exclaimed, a determined grin already on his face.

* * *

Sasuke grabbed onto the trunk of the tree for support as he caught his breath.

Somewhere deep in his mind, a small voice was telling him he was taking this too seriously. The burning muscles in his legs agreed.

The calculations were all done. There should only be one other left. Sasuke assumed Kiba as he had already seen Shikamaru get caught. Then again, he would not rule out the Hyuuga girl with the all-seeing eyes.

He suddenly started to feel the familiar tingle of someone's chakra, he took a deep breath and scoped his surroundings, coming up with a plan.

He'd be damned if he didn't win this idiotic game now.

He hated _games. _They were absolutely pointless.

Just north east of him, he noticed a particularly large worn tree – its truck a lot thicker than the others but a bit more withered, probably from overuse during team training sessions.

Fingers already twisting into familiar, simple signs, Sasuke ran towards the tree as fast as he possibly could – the other chakra quickly closing in on him.

He ran past the tree trunk slightly, finishing the jutsu signs before stopping in his tracks and falling back to the tree trunk; watching as his clone ran out in head of him, making him smirk confidently as he saw Ino speed past chasing it.

_Hn, stupid._

However, as his back was supposed to hit the bark of tree, something slammed into him…hard, sending him sprawling onto the forest floor.

_What-_

Sitting up, shaking his head slightly to attempt to relieve the ache of smashing his skull on the hard floor, Sasuke's eyes fell on the other person also sprawled out on the floor, nursing their head.

"Sakura?" He said incredulously, his mind refusing to believe that she was the only other left.

His voice caused her sit up quickly, eyes wide "Sasuke-kun!" She beamed at him.

"You're the one whose left." His words were filled with doubt as he looked at her, making her frown slightly.

"Hai," She smiled, clearly pleased with herself. The boy must have looked confused or disbelieving as Sakura laughed nervously.

…_How. _

"I hid a lot when I was a child," She said, a wide smile still on her face, "I guess that paid off now huh!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in confusion, however, a loud barking from behind them, made them both stiffen and scuffle to their feet. Both pressed their backs to the trunk, their shoulders touching. Sasuke felt Sakura mask her chakra, her body feeling rigid next to him.

The barking from Akamaru and Kiba, no doubt, was getting steadily closer. Sakura closed her eyes tight as the voices were practically behind their tree.

Sasuke realised she was taking this almost as seriously as he was.

"C'mon Ino's chakra is moving pretty fast up ahead! She must have someone! Quick!"

A rather devious thought crossed his mind at that moment.

He could so easily end this game now…

The footfalls were getting dangerously close now and all he would need was one little nudge to blow her cover. Sasuke's finger's twitched at his sides at the idea.

It was _Sakura. _She'd get over it, she be back to her normal self the following day probably.

He slowly turned to look at her. The girl had her eyes clenched shut and seemed to be oblivious to everything around her.

The moment was perfect.

Sasuke's arm raised, ready to go. However, he seemed to have forgotten their close proximity and as he moved, she opened her eyes and looked at him expectantly, questioning his actions. Something faultered when he took in her expression.

"_I hid a lot as a child…"_

He remembered Naruto mentioning something about Sakura being teased or bullied by other girls in the academy for her… peculiar looks and quiet nature. Though now, the last thing he could imagine Sakura being was 'quiet natured'.

Her head quirked to the side, questioning his sudden interest in her and before he could do anything more, the moment passed and a group of people bounded past them.

_Ones who abandon their team mates are worse than scum…_

Sasuke resisted the urge to sigh with a sudden wave of shame which washed over him.

As they faded into the trees in the distance, Sakura let out a relieved sigh, smiling to herself as she slumped against the tree.

"I haven't had fun like this is so long." She said airily, eyes looking to sky.

"It's just a waste of time," Sasuke mumbled, turning his head to the side.

Sakura stepped away from the tree, frowning at him but before she could speak, someone else beat her to it.

"Well well well… you didn't think I'd fall for that old trick did you?"

Both turned to see Naruto standing there, wearing a grin as wide as his face.

"Hn, how's it going, loser." Sasuke smirked.

"YOU TWO LEFT ME. WHAT KINDA TEAM WORK IS THAT." Naruto yelled at Sasuke, pointing an accusing finger at both of them.

It was Sakura who was first to react, laughing nervously. "It was all tactical Naruto…" She said, wearing a nervous grin, "Don't do anything you might regret now!"

"We'll see about that!" Naruto yelled defiantly, taking a dramatic step forward. Sakura squeaked and dashed behind Sasuke.

"This is _ridiculous." _Sasuke muttered, a sour look upon his pale face. Though as Naruto took a step forward, Sasuke stepped back – not quite ready to lose this yet.

He stepped into Sakura, causing her to stumble back and only add to his irritation.

Once again, Naruto stepped forward and Sasuke stepped back.

…Though this time, he found the person behind him hadn't moved.

This is the moment when Sasuke Uchiha felt a light shove on his back, pushing him forward to stand inches from Naruto.

Before the shock of what had just happened had completely left Sasuke's face, Naruto tapped him on the shoulder, a devious grin spreading farther and farther across his face.

"Tag, teme. How does it feel."

* * *

"Oh c'mon Sasuke, you've been sulking like a week now!"

"Sasuke-kun, I said I'm sorry!"

"It's nice for Sakura-chan to win something for once!"

"…Whats that meant to mean Naruto."

"Heh..heh, nothing Sakura-chan, honest! Don't look so angry!"

"It was just a game anyway, Naruto."

"…Sa-sakura-chan, are you angry too now?"

"Hmph."

Their bickering only irked him more.

"You're both idiots."

Sasuke did not like games.

* * *

_Once again, i start of liking something and think its a brilliant idea and then it goes cliche and awful._

_IDEAS PLEASE. Honestly, if i like the idea (which its likely i will!) i will write in for a new chapter. please oh please, i love doing prompts and stuff!_


	6. Realisations

-x-

* * *

**Realisations**

* * *

"There! Up ahead!"

Sakura was so tired.

They had been chasing this lunatic around his maze of a lair for what seemed like hours. They had lost Kakashi first; a corridor proved to be large enough to fit 5 people side by side at one end and then just about small enough for each genin to crawl through at the other. How_ The Kenchikuka _or _Architect_, as he liked to be called,had got through had yet to be explained. Kakakshi had promised he'd find another way around it and meet them later. Losing him had panicked Sakura – if they'd lost their teacher already, what hope did they have of catching this guy?

The Architect in all his glory was just simply just an intelligent robber. Over the years he had been working as, shockingly, an architect in rich villages, managing to con the wealthy out of their money and had built himself a house in the confines of the hills – impenetrable to the local people due to the traps, mazes, illusions he had created and invented himself- some much more dangerous than others. Eventually, the locals had just stopped trying.

And so, here Team 7 were, falling trap one by one.

Next to go was Naruto. Sakura became annoyed simply by even thinking about it. He was just so _stupid_. There was _clearly_ a patch of the floor which was different to the rest. Both Sasuke and herself, not being complete idiots, steered well clear of it; suspecting some form of trap. Naruto had other plans. After throwing a kunai at the patch and nothing happening, he decided it was completely fine and his teammates were just being paranoid.

…The 'fine' floor then opened up and swallowed the boy into a deep, dank hole in the ground – too steep to climb out of. Sulking Naruto had told them to go catch 'the bad guy' and that he'd catch up with Kakashi and find them later. Sakura had momentarily felt bad but had no choice but to quickly catch up Sasuke, who clearly hadn't missed a beat after Naruto's suggestion.

As for now, they had been chasing him up this same corridor for at least 10 minutes and it didn't seem to be ending.

Sasuke practically growled in annoyance. "What is with this guy," He muttered.

Glancing at him quickly as they ran, Sakura could see the fatigue affecting him too and his irritation towards the whole mission had just been steadily rising as the day went on. Looking back ahead of them, she just caught the distant silhouette of the outlaw disappear and, suddenly, the end of the corridor rushed up to meet them, forcing them to skid to a halt.

Nodding at each other, they both slipped kunai from their pouches and burst into the room.

…To be met with a very small, empty room.

Sakura slumped slightly, completely exasperated. Sasuke sighed also, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this." Sakura said, letting out a tired sigh.

Sasuke was no longer listening to her whining. He, too, felt completely bored and exasperated by this mission but his thoughts were currently preoccupied by the room they were in.

It seemed odd.

Trailing his eyes around the room made him aware that there was no furniture in the room at all and it seemed to be a hell of a lot wider than it was deep. In fact, there was only about 5 feet to walk in front of them before they would hit a wall. However, the small it was in front of them, it certainly made up for in length – 30 feet at least.

…There was something very, very odd here and it made Sasuke feel slightly uneasy.

Looking up, he noticed the high ceiling was made completely of glass.

" – I mean who even needs this many corridors-"

"Sakura," He cut her off, "Check the door."

She made a face at him and turned around clutching for the door handle. Sasuke watched as she tugged at the handle but could not get it open. The girl turned to him, a stricken look on her face as she seemed to take in the situation.

"What are we going to do-Kyah!" Sakura screamed suddenly as the west and east walls rumbled deafeningly loud and began to move – shattering the glass ceiling, making it rain glass shards upon them. Both genin covered their heads as pieces cut into their arms and scattered on the floor around them.

Taking her arms away from her face and watching the walls move towards them over Sasuke's shoulder, a look of complete panic overtook Sakura's features.

"Sasuke-kun," She stepped towards him, turning around towards the east wall and watching it as it grinded its way across the floor towards them. Sasuke looked up again, noting their way out. All they would have to do was use the walls…

"W-what are we going to do?" She asked as she turned to him, hands clutching at her chest, "It's only a matter of time until…until-" Sakura shook her head, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"When the walls are close enough, we'll be able to use them to get out." Sasuke stated plainly, refusing to think about the consequences of what was actually happening.

At this, the girl's eyes widened considerably, her face showed exactly what she thought of his plan. Sasuke waited for a babble of high-pitched worries and alternatives…but it never came. Instead, she looked at him, with oh-so-green eyes and simply nodded her head.

"Okay." She offered a small, miniscule tug of the lips, "I trust you, Sasuke-kun."

Her confession made him frown.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, the only sound in the room was slow grinding of the concrete walls against the concrete and glass floor. They had found that the walls had slowed after their talk of escape to a painful speed.

"He's toying with us," Sakura muttered, sat on the floor opposite Sasuke. They had cleared a small area of glass away from them with their feet and sat, for there was nothing else to do.

Sasuke watched the girl opposite him, fiddle with her hands and cast a weary glance at the wall over his shoulder. Her nervous gaze flickered back to her hands and she let out a shuddering breath. Her nails raked at her hands, leaving the skin red raw in places. He bought his gaze up from her hands, to her face, where there seemed to be a constant crease between her eye brows.

He had seen her scared before, she scared pretty much every mission they had at some point – whether it was being ambushed by rogue shinobi or pounced on by Misumi-san's cat.

But this was something slightly different. He barely saw her nervous ticks anymore. When they first started as genin, she had a terrible habit of holding her hands in front of her, clutching at her dress. Sasuke had seen her do that twice today, but that did not seem to suffice and she took to abusing her hands.

She must have seen him looking, he realised ashamedly, as she looked up and gave him a nervous smile before folding her hands in her lap.

"I..." She started, she seemed embarrassed, her gaze kept flitting downwards. He kept her gaze, completely silent.

"I've felt a little claustrophobic lately," She said relatively quietly, "Since what happened at the Chunin exams"

Sasuke realised with a start that she was referring to Gaara. And from somewhere, he suddenly felt a pang of guilt. …But why? It was not his fault that she idiotically threw herself in the path of the half transformed beast.

"Y'know, with Gaara that time?" She asked him, a hint of hopefulness in her voice, wondering if he'd already forgotten.

"Hn, I remember."

Sakura met his gaze for a moment before the floor rumbled viciously, the wall suddenly hitting their backs. Her eyes widened and they both rose to their feet quickly, Sakura sucking in a deep breath as she realised how tight the space was becoming.

"Sakura" Sasuke snapped, making her look at him, "Use your chakra to jump the walls."

"O-okay," She said, lurching towards him as the walls sped up, pushing them together, chest to chest.

…And then they slowed.

"Now's our chance-…Sakura?"

Looking at the girl in front of him, he realised she was crying. Her hand swiped at her eyes, but her shoulders shook continuously.

"I cant do this," She cried, "He's toying with us and I just-"

"All you need to do is the jump the walls," He stated clearly, ignoring her whimpers. "You can do chakra, you're the best out of our squad."

Her eyes lifted to him, glassy and wet, looking for some validation of what he was saying.

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes before placing a hand on the wall, ignoring the fact that him and Sakura were now pressed together like sardines. Sakura watched as he pushed the chakra into his hand, which was resting against the wall, trying to demonstrate that it was all going to be fine as long as did as he goddamn told her. Instead, a burning sensation coursed its way through his hand, and a blue spark was emitted from the wall. Sasuke pulled his hand away, hissing in pain.

…They couldn't use chakra.

Sakura immediately recognised the look that overtook his face after the shock. Her gaze followed him as he looked towards the sky, a frown tugging at his mouth and an incomprehensible look in his eyes. The look on his face was all she needed to know that they weren't getting out of there. A sob caught at the back of her throat and the tears ran down her face once again.

_At least I'm with Sasuke-kun…_

He couldn't die.

Not here.

He has too much to do, so much yet to achieve. His eyes picked out the clouds in the sky and birds flying feet above their heads – so free. At this moment, he hated them. Yet here he was, trapped between two concrete walls by a mediocre robber, with an annoying girl. He would never be able to avenge his family, or kill that man. He had failed, in so many ways, in such a short period of time; he couldn't even get them out of here, when the exit was so near. His ears finally tuned into her sobbing once again and realised she did not deserve to die like this.

"_I've felt a little claustrophobic lately"_

She had friends and family and she did not deserve such a way to die. Her family would cry and mourn over her, and they would blame him. Other shinobi would have to eventually have to scrape their bodies from the walls, knowing they had met a horrific, grisly end and they would have to inform her family. A tight feeling constricted his chest at the realisation that no one would be told of his death, he had no family. He would then become even more of an embarrassment to the Uchiha name.

He would-

His train of thought was interrupted by Sakura slowly grabbing hold of his hand, still sobbing. Sasuke pulled his hand back but was hit by the wall. The feeling of hitting the wall made him close his eyes tight for a moment, utter hopelessness flooding his mind, only opening them again when he felt her tighten her hold slightly.

Sasuke looked down at their hands and Sakura leaning against his shoulder sobbing, and he knew what he was going to do.

"Sakura,"

She looked up at him, no hint of a smile, just distraught.

_Sleep._

Sasuke felt the pressure rush to his eyes as they bled red.

"Sasuke-?" She didn't finish her question before she slumped against him.

She didn't deserve to die in fear.

Sasuke could feel the wall pushing them close together, getting to an uncomfortable pressure and he suddenly felt like he understood Sakura's claustrophobia.

He tugged at Sakura's arm, attempting to make the imminent more comfortable.

And now, closing his eyes and listening to Sakura's steady breathing, he waited.

* * *

Kakashi swore he felt his stomach drop to his feet when he heard the grinding. He had felt Naruto staring at him, hoping for some sort of explanation for the suddenly rumbling of the floor and vibration off the trees. Kakashi did not answer, nor look at him as no explanation was going to be what he wanted to hear.

When they reached the back of the house, he caught a glimpse of the hole in the ground and _something _moving. His eyesight allowed him to realise it was the walls of a room, and once again, a cold wave of dread swept over him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"NARUTO," He called to the boy a few feet away, "Get the rope out of your pack and summon your clones."

"Ah…" Naruto looked momentarily bewildered, "Hai!"

"And tie it to the tree,"

_Quickly._

Nearly at the hole, he could only hope and pray. Naruto gaged the look on his teachers face and suddenly became quite solemn.

Reaching the hole, he immediately jumped down into it next to the two figures he could see pressed against the wall. He inwardly cringed at the proximity of the concrete walls, if he had jumped down crooked, he wouldn't have the skin of his nose that was for sure.

"Kakashi,"

Quickly glancing at his pupils, he realised Sasuke was clutching an unconscious Sakura to his side. Turning back to the task at hand, he took a breath.

"Not now, you can thank me with Ramen later" He placed both hands on the wall in front of him,

"Tch," He voice sounded pained but he didn't comment.

Pushing all the strength into his hands, he tried to slow the wall. "Naruto! The rope!"

A sharp whistle indicated the rope end landing next to Sasuke. The boy glanced at it, before looking back to his teacher from the corner of eye.

"Tch," Kakashi chuckled, "Unlike you Sasuke, I do not want to die down here, I'll be fine."

He caught the glower sent his way before the boy wrapped the rope around one of his arms and held Sakura tightly with his other, the girl still slumped against him.

_Curious._

Watching carefully that Naruto had pulled them out, he sighed deeply. Pushing chakra into his feet, he jumped from the hole – using hand to pivot himself away from the closing gap.

Safely outside the house, on the grass, he sat with his students – all in different states of mind. Inwardly, he frowned as the chakra burn on his feet made its self known.

"Way to nearly die, teme!" Naruto chided, crossed arms and mocking face.

Kakashi could tell he was glad to see them out.

"Whatever dobe," He spat back. Sasuke was uncharacteristically lying on the grass with his arms spread wide – probably enjoying the freedom of his limbs, Kakashi thought amused.

"Did she faint?" Kakashi asked from behind his mask, only half glancing at Sasuke, interrupting the young boy's bickering. Their eyes met for a millisecond before Sasuke sat up and stretched.

"No."

His answered pleased him. He knew what the boy must have done.

_I'm proud of you, Sasuke._

"Well," Kakashi's eye crinkled in the corner, "We as well camp here for the day."

Sasuke rose an eyebrow, "What about the-"

"Oh I took care of him." Kakashi said. The glint in his eye made both Genin feel uneasy and chose not to press the matter.

Kakashi glanced at the girl sleeping on the grass between the boys, and suddenly felt nostalgic.

She had better team mates than Rin had ever hoped to have.

_No_

"_Keep Rin safe, Kakashi"_

"…_yeah."_

Sasuke had just done something that he could never do.

* * *

-x-

* * *

**_Oh wow, well that didnt end like i thought it would._**

**_How angsty of me! Tbh, i only really like this from Kakashi onwards. But lemme know what you think! & i feel you should know that i never ever proof read these..._**

**_I think i've lost my mojo, yknow._**

**_STILL NEED IDEAS GUYS. _**


	7. Ignorance

**_Ignorance_**

* * *

_-x-_

* * *

One day, Sakura arrived at the bridge, tears fresh in her eyes and wetness already on her cheeks.

He had leaned back on the railings, letting Naruto fawn over her and try to quell her whimpers. The boy had called him a douche for not paying much attention except to keep a wary eye on her.

Sasuke didn't care about her petty problems. It was probably something stupid, like her cat dying.

Kakashi had soon arrived, clearly uncomfortable, but had too placed a hand on her head in a supposedly comforting manner.

Onyx eyes were now watching her shaking shoulders and swipes at her eyes, and he briefly wondered why someone would cry so much over something so… –

But then he realised he _still _didn't know why she was crying or why she hadn't even tried to talk to him that morning.

Eventually, she had said that some 'girls from the academy' had met with her on the way to the bridge that morning, and said some things that she couldn't even mention without a fit of sobs breaking out over her.

This had confused him. What girls? Why had they any business with Sakura? She wasn't anyone of importance. Kakashi had caught the confusion on his face and had later informed him that Sakura had been picked on throughout her years at the academy.

It had never occurred to him until that moment that Sakura had a life outside team 7. Of course he _assumed _she had a family, and friends and lived a cosy, typical life but the thought of the over-exuberant, confident girl being bullied was particularly disconcerting.

* * *

-x-

* * *

The next time they were at the bridge, he couldn't stop glancing at her – unbeknown to her.

Not in a romantic way, nor barely a friendly way.

It was just curiosity.

Sakura had issues of her own and she _hadn't _always been loud and confident and apparently, she still wasn't as comfortable in herself as she perceived herself to be.

Was she permanently hiding her insecurities and worries?

Or was the bought of emotion, like on the bridge a few weeks previously, just a rare occurrence?

A lapse in judgement on her part?

A silly outburst that she would regret later on and feel ashamed at such a display?

He frowned as he realised, maybe, she wasn't as easy to predict as he first thought. And he wondered how much else she had kept from them.

And as she tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear, and looked at him with a bright smile, he wasn't sure if he liked this new side of her or not.

* * *

-x-

* * *

_Opinions much appreciated! _


	8. Bikini Baby

_As some of you may know, this is based on a doujinshi called 'Bikini Baby'. I havent a CLUE who wrote/drew it but its amazing and i think its my favourite one. I probably havent done it much justice to be honest._

* * *

**Bikini Baby**

* * *

-x-

* * *

"Why is it … so gooddamn hot?"

It was mid summer in Konoha, and unbearably hot. The sun was impossibly high in the sky, allowing barely any shade to form for the three youngsters to hide out under, while they waited for their sensei.

"I know its summer and all, but is a little breeze too much to ask?" Muttered Naruto, crouched on the floor – as if if he was lower to the floor, the sun wouldn't him quite as much.

"…Well if you didn't wear that bright orange tracksuit all the time," Sasuke bit out, casting a sour look at the other boy, "You'd be able to withstand the heat."

Naruto snapped his head towards him, rising to his feet "You know nothing, teme! This tracksuit is the height of coolness!" They both glowered at each other, Sasuke crossing his arms in irritation.

_They've been bickering all morning_, seethed Sakura on the other side of Naruto, her short hair plastering to the back of her neck in the heat. Both her team mates arguing and the unbearable heat was bearing on her last nerve.

"Aa, good morning team" Kakashi said, raising a hand in greeting as he final turned up, calm as usual, as if the heat hadn't affected him one bit, "It's so hot today the asphalt melted…I had to take the long way"

"WHAT KIND OF EXCUSE IS THAT?!" Shrieked Sakura, the vein pulsating on her forehead as she pointed an accusing finger at their teacher. Her outburst made both boys jolt and stare at her.

"We've been waiting in sun for over two hours," She growled, "Do you have any idea how long these two have been complaining about the heat!?" Her voice raising at least 2 octaves.

Kakashi chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

"I think the heat has boiled her brain" Naruto whispered, none too quietly, to Sasuke as he looked at the girl whose shoulders were heaving with her deep, laboured breathing.

_I wasn't complaining, _thought Sasuke sourly.

"Heh, sorry about that," Kakashi chuckled again, "We don't have missions today, so how about we find a way to cool off?"

* * *

-x-

* * *

"YAHOOO!"

The tremendous splash made both Sasuke and Kakashi cringe away from the water from their seat by the side of the lake. Kakashi had simply taken off his jounin jacket where-as Sasuke had donned a pair of black swimming trunks.

"You should really keep your mouth shut when you cannon ball, Naruto" Kakashi called from the side lines."

"What an idiot," Sasuke muttered, eyes closed and hands on his hips.

"Yeah, this is the best way to beat the heat!" Naruto shouted, ignoring their catty remarks.

"I see Naruto got started without me…"

Sakura's voice from behind them made all three males turn and glance at the girl. Sasuke and Naruto's eyes turned a little wider.

"Um, guys" She asked, suddenly self-conscious, her hand raising to her chest, "Why are you looking at me like that."

Sakura, now very aware she was the only girl on the team, had pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail so her hair didn't get wet in the water, her shorter bangs still falling around her face. She was also wearing a red bikini.

"Wow, Sakura you look awesome!" Naruto beamed, getting out of the water, next to his quiet friend.

Kakashi smiled from beneath his mask as he noticed the other boy's silence before turning to Sakura again, "Aa, you'll be quite the heart breaker."

"You really think so!" Sakura smiled, delighted by the idea.

Sasuke froze as her attention turned to him, "Sasuke-kun…you haven't said anything," She smiled shyly, wanting his opinion so badly.

"You look ridiculous." He said coldly before turning his back on her and stalking into the cold, cool water.

* * *

-x-

* * *

Sasuke dragged himself out of the water a little while later, sitting himself down on the bank half a foot or so from Kakashi. He looked out onto the water watching Sakura as she twirled in the water, snatching the ball from Naruto, laughing loudly, only to throw it back a little bit later.

"Aw, Sakura-chan, you didn't have to aim for my head!" Naruto's distant cries made her laugh more so and just simply made Sasuke frown.

He glowered and glance sideways as if suddenly remembered Kakashi was there, probably watching his every move. Sasuke looked at him, only to have his teacher ignore him and carry on apparently reading Icha Icha Paradise. Sasuke looked back ahead.

"So," The boy started begrudgingly, "Why aren't you swimming?"

"Me? This wasn't about swimming, it was about cooling off on a cool day,"

Sasuke's eyes caught his teammates jumping around in the water again.

"About relaxing and letting you kids act your age for once," Only now did Kakashi turn an eye to look at him, "I'm acting my age, whats your excuse?"

Sasuke turned and sent a glare his way. The snapping shut of Kakashi's precious book only sent a wave of dread through his body.

"Or maybe,"

God help him.

"You just don't want a certain someone to know what effect your bikini had on you."

Sasuke stiffened, eyes vaguely wide as he turned to Kakashi, "Wha-?" He stopped mid sentence and let out a guttural growl, chidori flooding to his hand, "You don't know what youre talking about!"

The sound of a thousand birds and the crackle of electricity made Naruto and Sakura look up from the water, ball still in Sakura's hands. Their quizzical faces taking in the scene at the bank.

"I guess that's how Sasuke lets off steam," Naruto said, giggling at the sight.

"He does know water's a conductor…right?" Sakura asked, cocking her head to the side, a small frown tugging at her lips.

* * *

-x-

* * *

Sasuke forced his eyes open, only to have the brightness of the sun burn his eyes. He raised a weary hand in front of his face, his fingers blocking out the sun from his face – making a note that Kakashi was no-where in sight.

"Damn…"

Suddenly, Sakura marred his line of sight, leaning over him, "Are you okay?" A look of worry plastered over her face.

Sasuke sat up immediately, turning his head away from her stubbornly.

"What were you thinking!" Sakura chided, "Throwing chidori around with this much water…" The softness in her voice masking any real annoyance.

The boy tried vaguely to justify his actions, momentarily stumbling over excuses. Sakura sat down next to him.

"Its just," He said finally, still facing away from her, "We need to keep on form instead of lazing around doing nothing."

Sakura giggled slightly, "One day isn't lazing, Sasuke-kun." He glowered at something on the floor in annoyance.

Silence fell between them, both facing slightly away from each other. Sasuke glanced back at her. She was sitting with her arms hugging her knees, looking calmly out at the lake.

"I know why you're acting so weird today, y'know." Her sudden statement made Sasuke turn away from her, him too looking out onto the water, a slight look of alarm on his pale face.

"We're growing up, and like Kakashi said, I'm becoming a young lady…" She said, a small smile playing on her lips as she looked at her knees.

"And when you saw me dressed like this…you were reminded of that."

Sakura turned her head to the boy next to her, only to see him quickly turn his face away from her. She smiled slightly at his behaviour and sighed, turning her face to the lake again.

"You just want to protect me…but you don't have to worry, I can handle boys and their hormones," She joked, laughing a little.

"Tch," Sasuke shook his head slightly.

"You really don't know what boys are like Sakura," Sasuke said, "They really only think about one thing."

"Most of them…" He clarified, his bangs covering his expression from Sakura's gaze. "And showing so much skin only gives them ideas."

She looked at him, eyes wide with shock written all over her face. She couldn't believe he was saying these things to her.

_Sasuke-kun…_

Suddenly, a something vaguely wet, and heavy hit her in the face, "Hey!"

She moved the towel from her eyes, looking quizzically at it, before returning her eyes to the boy in front of her, who was now standing and still not looking at her.

He sighed, "I know you think you can look after yourself but not all guys are going to be like Naruto or Lee," He glowered at the space in front of him, making her frown and cast her eyes downwards.

"And I'm not always going to be around to protect you."

That made her raise her eyes at him, frown deepening.

_Why not…_

* * *

-x-

* * *

"YEHAAA." He emerged from the water spluttering, "I think I swallowed a fish!"

"Naruto, I told you to keep your mouth shut," Kakashi called to the boy.

"Some things never change," Sasuke muttered, exasperated.

Gentle footsteps from behind them made all boys turn around once again.

"How does this look?"

Sakura had changed into a blue, full swimming costume, with a pretty pink lining and bow in the middle of the chest. She had taken her hair down and put on a pale pink, baggy sweatshirt, the zip undone since the air was getting cooler now in the evening.

Her eyes were trained on Sasuke this time.

"Wow Sakura-chan, that makes you look even prettier!" Naruto gushed, much to Sasuke's dismay.

"It's very feminine…" Kakashi teased, "Don't you think, Sasuke?" Making the boy stiffen and cast his teacher a dirty look.

Suddenly a gleeful, smiling Sakura was in front of him, "Sasuke-kun… are you blushing?" Placing the tips of her fingers to his cheeks, much to his horror.

_Sakura-chan is just so pretty, _Naruto thought from behind her, love hearts circling his eyes.

The repetitive clicks of a disposable camera being rolled to the next film made Sasuke tense and his ears and neck flush, and in a blink, he had Kakashi in a head lock, the camera dropping from his smiling sensei's hands.

Sakura slumped, staring at them in disbelief and confusion. Naruto laughed and placed a hand behind his head.

_I knew he was a big an idiot for girls as I am!_

"I knew there was a way to get you to act your age," Kakashi muttered, chuckling slightly from the death hold. "So you are a teenager after all!" Sasuke's slightly coloured face darkening as his hold tightened slightly.

"You know itd be so easy to snap your neck right now."

* * *

-x-

* * *

_Sooooooooooo, yep._

_Reviews/pm's for suggestion of other doujinshis/chapter ideas/prompts all welcome!_


	9. Sleep: Part 1

_I'm not even sure anymore. _

* * *

_**Sleep: Part 1**  
_

* * *

Sasuke watched in morbid fascination as the bead of water skimmed across her eyelashes, slid across her nose and finally fell onto the grassy floor under her head.

Another one followed in its wake.

If anyone had been watching him – which was unlikely as it was the dead of night and Naruto was snoring loudly in his sleeping bag– they would have seen Sasuke to be watching the girl with complete apathy as the small dose of curiosity he had, was concealed cleverly beneath his skin. His eyes followed her movements as she tossed side to side in her sleeping bag, her eyebrows scrunching together.

He had assumed she was in the throes of some sort of nightmare or bad dream.

Sakura's mouth opened and closed in unspoken words and cries before she buried her head further into the depths of her sleeping bag. Sasuke, still watching, had been awoken by her erratic movements as she had somehow shuffled closer to him in the middle of the night.

She had actually elbowed him and he had been about to angrily demand what was the matter with her until he saw that she wasn't conscious.

And so, here he is, sitting up in his sleeping bag watching her cry and toss and turn, feeling like he couldn't go back to sleep until she had settled. He had tried when he had first awoken but her whimpers had been too loud and expressions too tortured.

He briefly wondered what she could be dreaming about, what memories or images conjured up by the young girl's mind could cause such unconscious turmoil.

Her fingers twitched next to her head and by some sort of insentient realisation, his eyes wandered to her weapons pouch, which Kakashi had taught them to always keep next to them when sleeping. In the same moment, Sasuke pulled the bag away from her reach as her fingers fumbled slowly by her head, looking for something that wasn't there. He did not know how he knew that she would go for them, he just did. They had been on enough missions now for her to know instinctively where her weapons were, it's not surprising that it had bled into her dreams.

As much as he found her irritating, he still wouldn't want her harming herself (or him) in her sleep and for him to do nothing about it.

Sasuke suddenly became aware of the heaviness of his eyes and the light of the new day peaking over the tree tops in the distance. Fingers wrapping lightly around his own middle and ring fingers, made him turn his attention to their hands. A tired scowl naturally reached his face. She turned on her side and found his hand. He could feel her muscles twitching under her soft grip, still deep in sleep. His eyebrows drawn together in a sour look, he noted that she wasn't thrashing as much anymore and her face looked much more peaceful, her breathing finally returning to normal – with the occasional hiccup. His eyes softened momentarily as Sakura's grip slackened and her hand fell outstretched next to his. Apparently, only one touch was needed to qualm her.

"Tch," He turned his head away from her, his tired eyes resting on the growing, orange/red glow emerging in the horizon, "Annoying."

Sasuke slumped backwards, letting out an exasperated, exhausted sigh – finally satisfied that Sakura had fallen back into a deep slumber. He closed his eyes hoping he could catch a few hours' sleep before Naruto bounced to life and they had to finish their mission.

He prayed this wouldn't be one of the times when he was plagued with the unsettling dreams in his sleep as Sakura just had.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

In the morning, she had fussed and questioned why he looked so tired and suggested he tried to get more sleep in the future.

_It'll do you some good, Sasuke-kun!_

He remembered her thrashings and cries and finally had glanced at her in apathy– much like the night before – replying simply.

"Tch, quit worrying, Sakura."

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

_Review please!_

_Again, i honestly do not know._

_ALSO, there was either 1 lone, generous reviewer or a bunch or reviewers who all write kinda the same, who did a bunch of reviews all in one go, and that was really nice of you (/ all of you?) so thankyou! xxxxx_


	10. Sleep: Part 2

_Oh god i didnt realise pt. 1 would be so popular. Talk about pressure_

* * *

**Sleep**

* * *

**Part 2**

* * *

The first time it had happened, he had been unable to shake the guilt for weeks. Unbeknown to her, he spent their time during the following missions stealing glances, trying to work out if her faith in him had been restored.

The night it happened was the only time he had, or would ever, let Naruto shove him to the ground and curse insults at him with no repercussions.

He remembered how when he had eventually awoken, the first thing he saw were her glassy eyes – wide and fearful – only then had the pain rushed to his arms, where her nails had raked against his skin, trying to pry his hands from her throat.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

_Like many of the nights Team 7 spent on missions with Kakashi, Sakura felt no pressure to go to sleep early like the rest of her team, she much preferred to lay awake a little longer watching the stars in the sky. This night, however, her attention had been drawn away from the navy sky to the boy in navy next to her._

_She had watched as he squirmed and struggled in his sleep, brows scrunching together in some sort unconscious turmoil. Sakura frowned and glanced around their camp, looking for some reassurance. Although she found none – Naruto was already snoring and Kakashi was leaning against a log, Icha icha paradise covering his face. Her eyes trailed back to Sasuke and feeling of worry passed over her, making her shuffle towards him a little more. _

"_Sasuke-kun…" _

_He fisted his sleeping bag, knuckles turning white under the pressure. Her eyes had almost immediately been drawn to the mark on his neck, impossibly dark against his alabaster skin. She watched in growing anxiety as it seemed to start to pulse. Her hands drawn to her chest, she decided she should at least try to help him. _

_Tentatively, she reached out a hand… "Sasuke-"_

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

_Colours contorted as the world seemed to swirl around him, drawing him in and pulling at his very being._

_Itachi stood before him, mangekyou taunting him, another reminding him of his severe lack of ability within his clan – suddenly he was 8 years old again, helpless and alone. The words his brother said hung in the air, seeping into his mind, bring back memories he would rather stay hidden. _

_Unable to move, horrific images of the massacre flashed across his minds eye. The images, however, were disjointed. One moment, he would be in the park with his smiling mother calling his name and the next, he was in a dark room staring down at her lifeless body, the blood pooling underneath her. Something wrenched at his chest, leaving him feeling hollow._

"_Stop it!" _

_His own voice sounded foreign to him as slapped his hands over his ears, trying to drown out the noises of people's – his families- pained screams. _

_All of a sudden, Itachi was at his side, close enough to ruffle his shirt. _

"_Little brother," Was his greeting._

_Anger washed over him as their eyes locked, Sasuke still unable to move. He hated him. Loathed him. Words could not even begin to best describe how his blood boiled when he thought of his brother acting so casually, the screams still echoing in the silence around them. Every muscle in his body was tense as his brothers hand moved towards him, sending a wave of fear washing over him. _

"_Sasuke-kun," It wasn't his voice, but it wasn't important. He didn't know the voice and all he could concentrate on was the hand touching his shoulder, fingers creeping up to around his neck, the pressure building. From the corner of his eye, he saw Itachi raise a kunai, the moonlight glinting off the polished metal. _

_No._

_Fingers tightened and Sasuke struggled to breathe, his hands tensing and anger growing. _

_No._

_He would not die this way, he would not kill him so easily. The tension is Sasuke's muscles suddenly increased tenfold and he violently broke free of his paralysis, throwing his hands around his brother's neck._

"_NO"_

* * *

**-x-**_  
_

* * *

_Sasuke faultered slightly as his brother fell to the ground with ease, the young boy straddling him, fingers wrapped tightly around his neck. The boy's chest rose and fell with his laboured, adrenaline fuelled breathing as his finger's tightened, concentrating on depriving all the air from _that man's_ lungs._

"_Sasuk-" _

_Once again he automatically faultered, his grip loosening a little. That was not Itachi's voice. Not his voice at all. Somewhere in the back of his mind, pain started to ebb up and down his arms, and soon everything was fading around him except for a dark haze which blocked his vision and added to his confusion. _

"_Please-"_

_Soon enough, the haze had cleared and he found himself on the grass, on top of Sakura, his hands around her throat. Her fingers desperately clawed at his arms in an attempt to relieve some of the suffocating pressure around her neck. Sharingan activated, he couldn't take his eyes off the tears that continuously streamed down her cheeks and the opening and closing of her mouth in desperate attempts for air. He could almost see the moonlight reflecting off the droplets and the convulsion of the muscles in her neck. _

"_S-Sakura?" _

_He barely had time to gauge her reaction as he removed his hands from her as if he'd been burned, before Naruto was in front of him, shoving him into the grass. _

"_WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, TEME?" _

_Sasuke sat up from his place on the grass, eyes still wide in alarm as he glanced past Naruto to see Kakashi at her side, trying to calm her as she started to hyperventilate. His fists clenched at his side as shame hit him like a brick. _

_He could barely stand to look at her._

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

It was happening again.

Sakura watched wearily as Sasuke tossed and turned in his sleeping bag, a little way away from her. Something pulled in her chest as he let out a small, pained moan.

She wanted to help, she really did. Her fingers twitched awkwardly at her sides – torn between reaching out to him, and reaching for her neck. Sakura went for the latter and let out a sigh when her fingers brushed her skin.

"Stupid," She muttered at herself, annoyed at her mistrust for the boy. He didn't mean to, she knew that. She just couldn't forget the way his fingers felt against her throat, his eyes clouded with bloodlust.

"-tachi."

Sakura's ear perked at the muttered name, a wave of pity suddenly felt for the boy. She needed to wake him. She couldn't leave him to his own nightmares. Hesitantly, Sakura shuffled over to him, taking in a deep intake of air as she sat at his side.

_Just in case._

"Sasuke-kun," She said in her most determined tone as she wrapped her fingers around his hand, and quickly shook it, retracting her hand quickly. It had the desired effect. Sasuke opened his eyes and jolted upwards in alarm. Sakura sighed and tilted her head, trying to see his gaze as he stared down onto his sleeping bag, panting heavily.

Sasuke struggled to maintain his breathing as he sat up. His fists clenched at the material underneath him, and he tried to push down the memories his dreams had bought to the surface. His gaze rose to the girl sitting beside him as her pink hair came into view.

Soft eyes met his gaze and neither of them said anything. Eventually, onyx eyes lowered and his brows drew together – a mix of shame and embarrassment stopping him from looking at her anymore. The sound of something moving closer to him, made him stiffen and realise that she was now shoulder to shoulder with him.

"You scared me that day y'know," She said quietly, stealing half a glance towards the boy who refused to look at her. Her gaze focused on his hands, tense against his sleeping bag – shaking almost. She could no longer see his eyes, he had turned his head ever so slightly away from her to hide his expression.

"I genuinely thought you were going to kill me," She chuckled, her small smile breaking into a frown as she recalled the event. Her lips pulled into a tight line as remembered how terrifying he had looked. The tiniest shake of his head caught her attention and she glanced back down to his tense arms and hands again – noting how white his knuckles were and how adamantly he was digging his nails into his palm.

Sasuke tensed as something warm touched his hand, he raised his head to see Sakura's hand atop his wrist, "Stop it, you'll hurt yourself" She said, tightening her grip on his a wrist ever so slightly to emphasise her point.

Her words awoke a realisation in him, which made him turn to her with a dark, bitter smirk on his lips. "Tch, you're _worried_ about _me_." He nearly snarled, making her frown. It was only the way that he turned his head away from her after talking that gave him away. He was still ashamed of his actions, she realised.

They sat in silence for a while, Sakura having taken her hand from him. She sat, head tilted up to the nights sky, while his was focused on the grass. After a long while, she broke the silence.

"I get nightmares too," She said softly, her voice barely louder than a whisper. He thought back to a few months ago when she had awoken him in the night, in the throes of some sort of bad dream.

"Aa," He replied, "I know."

"You do…?" Her curiosity getting the better of her, though not expecting a reply from the boy. She didn't receive one.

"You should get some sleep," He said eventually, tired eyes set on something in the distance. She shook her head stubbornly.

"If you're not going to sleep, I'm not either." She crossed her arms, making Sasuke roll his eyes.

"Annoying." He scoffed, making her smile.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realised he was …_glad_ she didn't despise him. His rational side put this down to the fact it would be inconvenient within a 3 person team.

And so they sat, until the sun's rays dusted the tops of the trees in the distance, casting a violet orange hue over the land.

It was only then did Sasuke glance at the girl and realise she was asleep. She was sitting crossed legged, hands in her lap, head lulled forward and her back ever so slightly hunched. Once again he rolled his eyes at her effort to stay awake. His gaze lingered at the tips of her pink hair sweeping her neck and he found himself in a sleep-deprived haze, brushing the tips of his fingers across the skin of her neck before realising what he was doing and pushing his hands to his lap.

"Tch," He mumbled irritated at both her and himself.

Somewhere behind him, Naruto began to stir, yawning loudly and Sasuke wondered, with a sigh, if he'd ever get any sleep during mission time.

* * *

_Ehhhh. so there we go._

_Oh my god guys, i didnt realise you'd like the first part so much! I got quite a few 'oh this should be canon' etc! Really!? Wowwww okay!_

_Anyway, i know the idea of Sasuke accidentally hurting Sakura due to a dream is quite cliche but i absolutely love it (weirdly enough) - like when he has to deal with it all and all that afterwards etc. _

_/ I think after i finish this (or during maybe who knows) im going to do a Sasuke returning to Konoha fic which'll be like a sequel of sorts to this so i'll probably __elaborate on this chapter more in that ff. _

_But anyway, tell me your thoughts! Dont worry, i'm anticipating some disappointment so i wont be surprised by your complaints and woes. _


	11. Peace-Maker

_Okey dokey, this was based on something which someone said they'd like for a chapter - however it may have come out way more angsty than you wanted... _

_Also, i couldnt do the exact thing you wanted as i think it would have involved a lot of copying an actual episode and altering it slightly which isnt want i'm reaaaaally aiming to do in this? All these little things are basically little fillers haahaha _

_But your idea spurred this on! And for that, i say thank you!_

* * *

**Peace-Maker**

* * *

Sakura wished, oh how she wished, she could have done something. _Anything._ Why was it always Naruto and Sasuke? She could fight too…

When she had heard about her teammates encounter with Sasuke's brother, she could barely contain her worry. In the waiting room, she found her mind wandering to other things. Kakashi sat beside her and she found some comfort in his authority but her hands still sat clenched in her lap as she thought about her teammates behind closed doors – she was just waiting for the light above the door to turn to green.

She felt _guilty._

What had she been doing when Naruto and Sasuke had been fighting Itachi. Brushing her hair? Cleaning? Having a nap? A long sigh escaped her lips, drawing the eyes of her sensei to her. Sakura tucked a strand of short hair behind her ear and glanced back up at the light again, disappointment brewing as it was the same fluorescent red as before.

According to Kakashi, Itachi had been after Naruto for some reason and Sasuke just couldn't let the chance slip to confront his brother again. He had beaten them within an inch of their lives. The thought made her lip quiver and her thoughts drew back what _she _had been doing while her teammates were nearly brutally beaten to death. She felt like a weight was literally pushing down on her, the shame threatening to swallow her whole.

"Don't worry, you didn't know." The lazy voice of her sensei shocked her and she jolted ever so slightly as a hand landed on her head in a comforting manner. The gesture, however, simply made the tears rush to her eyes and blur her vision.

"I can never do _anything_," She muttered, her voice thick with unshed tears as she tried desperately to keep the excess water contained in her eyes and her lip from quivering too much. The hand retracted from her head and she felt Kakashi rearrange himself against the seat.

"You have other talents that Sasuke and Naruto lack," Kakashi said, his one eye calmly trained on the red light. Sakura shook her head lightly.

Kakashi glanced down at the small girl sitting beside him, noting her unusual quiet behaviour. He could see her eyes downcast and he could still remember the look on her face when he had told her about the boys and Itachi.

"For one, you manage to stop your team mates from killing each other on a daily basis," His monotonous tone, barely portraying the light joke he told – the only indication was the crow's feet next to his eye.

Sakura choked out a small laugh, the unfortunate movement of closing her eyes in the process caused the tears to run down her cheeks – though she quickly swiped them away. She pondered on the idea of being the peacemaker in her team. She would always need to be there for them. Behaviour and moods of her teammates had always been obvious to her; she had put it down to being quiet as a young child – you learn more when you listen.

Maybe, she thought with a stab of optimism, she could keep all three of them together… and maybe apart when Naruto and Sasuke started to bicker.

The peacemaker.

She liked the idea.

A small, watery smile played on her lips as she pondered on the idea of being important.

On that day she vowed to keep them together. So, as the high pitched '_ding_' of the light turning to green sounded throughout the waiting room, she took in a breath and with that a new turn of determination for Team 7.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

A week later, they were on the roof.

She stood horrified, wide eyed at the sidelines, frozen to spot, wondering if this was really happening and where her determination had gone. Her body physically shuddered as she heard punches being thrown and received – the dull thud of fists hitting a body made all her muscles tense.

"Stop…"

Only the wind heard her. Her gaze moved from one boy to the other, wishing for them to stop – wishing for someone to stop them before it got out of hand. _She _had to stop them. Her confirmation came with the sound of the rushing wind and of a 1000 birds screeching.

"No," She whispered as she saw the electricity spark in the air, Sasuke flying towards the boy on the ground, swirling ball of wind in hand. From then on, it was instinct.

"STOP, PLEASE."

Her legs pushed her on and on and _on. _Until she was so near to them, she could feel the static against her skin and the wind whipping her hair against her face. If she could just get in the middle of them, then maybe, just _maybe, _they'd stop and they wouldn't hurt each other and they'd stop fighting.

She couldn't stop them.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

A few days later, Sasuke defected from Konoha.

She had met him at the gate, convinced that she could make him stay because she was the peacemaker and she needed to keep them together.

He had left anyway.

"_Sakura, thank you." _

And suddenly everything Sakura thought she could achieve, shattered like their future, right in front of her eyes.

* * *

_So...thoughts? _

_I'm honestly not sure about this chapter. I'm a pretty spontaneous writer anyway, like i dont PLAN aaaaanything. But even for me, this was literally just spewing words. Oops. _


	12. This Day

_Guys, its almost ridiculous how popular those last chapters were! I didnt really realise you'd like them so much! Thank you!_

_But anyway, THIS IS AS MUCH FLUFF AS I CAN TOLERATE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. That is all. _

* * *

_**This Day**_

* * *

Sasuke awoke with a slow, pro-longed shudder, gloose-flesh suddenly creeping up his arms. Sitting up, he scanned around the still relatively dark room, only now was the morning sun casting a dull light into his home. Why was it so _cold_? His heating was never on, living in fire country, this type of cold wasn't really a regular occurrence, he thought with a sigh – breath forming a cloud in front of his face before disappearing. Resisting the urge to shiver again, he glanced around, eyes drawing to the window.

He blinked.

Swinging his legs off the bed, the cold air hitting his skin, he padded over to the window – scepticism still marring his features as his eyes hit the streets before him.

_What the-_

Snow?

Snow coated the streets, casting a brightness to Konoha he had never seen. Light reflected off the whiteness, making the roads and fences glisten in the morning sun. Sasuke's eyes followed the rush of children running out onto the street, throwing themselves to the floor to make shapes in the snow – parents dashing out behind them, barely clad in dressing gowns, thrusting gloves and scarfs towards the children.

He struggled to understand what had happened. Konoha was situated in a place known for his temperate climate – other than Suna, it was really was one of the warmest places in the entire land.

Then, something bright – no some two things, in fact, - caught in the corner of his eye, making him glance to the end of the road. Pink and yellow. He resisted the urge to sigh and slump his shoulders as his two team-mates came clearly into view, only stopping under his window, waving up at him.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun c'mon out!"

"Hurry up teme!"

Were the muffled shouts he could work out through the glass of the window.

"Annoying," He sighed as he moved away from the window.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

"Ah no fun," Naruto sulked, crossing his arms in front of him as he glanced back down from the window. Clad in an orange coat with blue hat, scarf, boots and gloves, you certainly couldn't miss him in the snow, "Aren't you cold, Sakura-chan?"

"…A little!" She smiled earnestly, making a point to rub the tops of her arms. The Haruno residence wasn't really prepared for a surprise snow fall so she was driven to look through every drawer for something even remotely thick or woollen. Eventually, at the back of her mother's wardrobe, Sakura had found a red woolly hat and gloves – slightly tatty- and some arm warmers. She had been forced to keep on her usual red and white dress and had simply swapped her sandals for closed toe ankle boots.

"Do you really think Sasuke-kun's not coming out with us?" She frowned at Naruto. She had really wanted to see him today too, she could barely contain her excitement at the prospect of spending this apparent snow day with her team.

As she finished her sentence, the door in front of the pair opened to reveal their third member clad in his usual trousers, a sweatshirt, boots, navy scarf and gloves. Sakura clasped her fingers in front of her face in joy, smiling broadly at him.

"Yeah Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, beaming , earning a small scoff from the other boy.

"What is all this?" Sasuke murmured, kicking some snow slightly and noting the strange greyness to the sky.

"Snow." Naruto deadpanned, earning a glare in his direction.

"I didn't mean that, dobe."

"Yeah well-"

"I don't know," Sakura interrupted, before their argument could escalate, "Otou-san said it happened early this morning,". Sasuke took in her clothing and briefly wondered why she was dressed so scarcely. It had been _snowing_ for Kami-sama's sake.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets and giving a nod of acknowledgement, Sasuke walked past both his teammates before stopping a little while in front of him.

"…C'mon." He turned his head back towards them, "Kakashi might know something, we have to meet him anyway"

"Hai!" They replied before running, albeit awkwardly, after him.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

"Kaka-sensei, you still haven't answered my question!" Sakura whined, stumbling slightly as she trudged through the snow to keep up with him. The boys trailing behind them.

"Aa," He rubbed the back of his neck, "Some chunin was trying out a lightning technique, except it backfired and altered the electrical charges in the clouds,"

"And that caused the change in weather?" She asked curiously, glancing up at her teacher. Kakashi smiled at her natural intuition.

"..Hai, something like that."

_You can do that with lightning techniques? _

The thought made Sasuke glance up at the air, briefly wondering if he'd be able to do that one day and how one technique could be so powerful as to change the weather completely. The implications sent an adrenaline rush through him.

One day, he'd perfect a technique like that.

"What are we doing today, Kakashi!" Naruto yelled from the back, breaking Sasuke from his thoughts, "Just tell us already!"

They had arrived in the Training grounds, the grass today blanketed in thick snow. Heaps of ice were dotted around the area, obviously pre-prepared for today's training session. Sakura had hardly ever seen something so beautiful. The light bounced off the snow so easily and made it glisten. Her green eyes drew back to Kakashi at a slight movement.

He stepped back, "You could say," He chuckled, "Today, will be a test of stealth."

"Wha-"

Before either one of them could ask what his cryptic words meant, he disappeared into the trees and the rest of the rookie 9 plus team Gai proceeded to jump out from behind their respective ice heap and shout,

"_SNOWBALL FIGHT_"

Eyes widening instantly, Sasuke shoved Naruto to right and hastily grabbed Sakura, pulling her behind a close by wall of ice. Sakura jumped at the contact but as she was about ask what had happened, she felt the vibrations of lots of objects hitting their shelter, small flakes of snow dusting their heads as they skimmed over.

"_Kakashi!_" Sakura practically growled, patting the snowflakes from her hair.

"What happened to 'those who abandon their team-mates are worse than scum' KAKASHI!" Naruto yelled to the tree tops, frowning at the frost on his clothes from where he had been basically thrown to the floor.

Sakura put her back against the heap, mimicking her team-mates. She glanced at both of them in turn, "What are we doing to _do?_" She whispered, a small amount of irritation spreading across her features.

"Take them out." Sasuke mumbled darkly, clearly unamused by their mentors sense of humour.

"Who first?" Naruto clapped his hands together and donned a devious smirk.

Sakura sighed, _Boys._

* * *

**_-x-_**

* * *

"Kids," Kurenai muttered with a smile, swinging her legs about the branch she was sitting on as she watched them all in their mock-battle on the training grounds. Vibrations on the branch made her glance upwards at the man standing beside her.

"Coming to join me?" She asked with a cock of her head, a small smile tugging at her lips as her eyes set on Asuma.

"Aa, I guess." He jumped down next to her, shivering slightly, "It's a little cold isn't it?"

"It's certainly not something we're used to," Came Kakashi's monotonous voice. He was sitting against the trunk of the tree, somehow he had managed to find the only dry spot on the wood.

"It's alright for you," Chuckled Asuma, "You've more layers on," He motioned to the mask covering the man's face. Kakashi grinned, the crow's feet at his eyes growing.

"I think it's glorious!" Gai bellowed from the tree tops above them.

"He would do," Kurenai sighed, laughing lightly, setting her gaze back on the scene below them. A softeness appeared in her eyes and she sighed happily.

"Do you think they'll be this cute and naïve forever?" The woman asked her fellow colleagues, crimson eyes watching Hinata duck behind a heap of snow as Naruto sped past her.

"Tch," Kakashi barked out a scoff, "Speak for yourself. 'Cute' and 'Naïve' are not words I associate with Team 7" He, too, turning his gaze to find his own squad on the training ground floor. He could just about make out what seemed to be Sakura drawing out Lee from his shelter and away from his own team, the two boys of Team 7, armed and waiting nearby.

_Little Siren, _he thought amusedly as he turned back to his book.

"Oh please," Asuma's deep voice rang out. His team needed no explanation. Kurenai had always been secretly glad that she had never had to put up with Asuma's squad. Occasionally she would drop by on their training sessions, and although she didn't mind Chouji all that much, the other two just…_grinded her gears. _

Each teacher shared a small smile at each of their circumstances. Kakashi thought back to his squad; the hyperactive blonde, the brooding Uchiha and the love-sick Sakura. They were something special, that he was sure of. Sakura was a talented girl, she was incredibly intelligent and her chakra control was nothing of incredible – it was unfortunate that her emotions hindered her actions sometimes. The thought bought him onto Sasuke. He was a genius, there was no doubt about. But his intentions in life left a constant, lingering worry over Kakashi which he really did not care for.

And Naruto, against all odds, had managed to perfect the Kage Bunshin before he had even left the academy…

Hold on.

Kakashi rose to his feet, placing his book back into his pouch, suddenly weary. His eyes followed the figures on the ground with great suspicion. Both Kurenai and Asuma looked towards Kakashi before following his gaze more intently to their students.

"…We should have seen this coming." Asuma sighed as both rose to their feet.

They barely saw the attack coming.

"TEST OF STEALTH YOU SAY, CHA." They heard from above as suddenly snowballs rained down on them.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

Sakura's laugh rang out over the noise of the streets as she watched Naruto slip backwards on a frozen puddle, falling flat on his back. A muttered 'idiot' from the boy beside her only added to her amusement, making tears gather in her eyes.

After their snow day battle with their teachers, the teams had been told they could go and have the rest of the day off. Team 7 however had not left until a begrudging Kakashi had quietly told them they had passed their stealth test. After much pleading on Sakura's part, they were now heading towards the lake near the Uchiha district. She was going to get the most out of this day whether her teammates like it or not – Naruto wasn't going to slink off to Ichiraku and Sasuke was _certainly _not leaving them to go train.

Sasuke led the way through the streets, weaving around groups of playing children. Her light laugh almost pulled a look of content from him, it really was contagious. He glanced sideways at her, a flush covering her cheeks as a result from the cold in the air. He watched as she violently shivered, and although the smile was still covering her face, he could actually see the goosebumps on her arms.

Sakura was _cold_.

Really cold. Though, she didn't let that get the better of her. This had the best day she could remember in a long time. Even Sasuke had seemed appeased that there had been at least some sort training, now she felt as if he was nearly as content as she was. And that made her really happy. Naruto had been her source of amusement all day, she hadn't even found him irritating yet. It sounded ridiculous but she honestly thought that her happiness for the day was the thing keeping her from forming frostbite.

Something being placed abruptly around her neck made her jump slightly, raising her hands to the thick material. "You look cold." Sasuke said nonchalantly, glancing at her before training his eyes on the approaching slope to the lake. Sakura flushed a pink colour before smiling gratefully at him, wrapping the scarf around her neck and burying her nose in the fabric.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," She mumbled happily into the blue woollen material, not sure if this day could get any better. Sasuke stole another glance at her, eyes softening ever so slightly for a matter of seconds, unbeknown to her, before he stopped at the slopes edge, glancing down to docks.

He hadn't been here in so long, and suddenly, as memories came flooding back to him of his father trying to teach him various fire techniques at the water's edge, he wondered if this had been a huge mistake.

"Wait for me!"Naruto's oncoming voice made both Sakura and Sasuke spin around, staring in absolute horror at the boy charging towards them.

"N-naruto, don't run!" Sakura called, throwing her arms up in front of her as if to somehow hold back the oncoming orange blur. Sasuke took an unconscious step backwards, tensing as he did so, feeling his foot meet thin air.

"Sasuke-ku-! KYAH NARUTO!"

Simultaneously, Naruto collided with Sakura, throwing both of them off the top of the slope and Sasuke stumbled backwards as, much to his disdain, Sakura caught the side of him as she fell. And so they found themselves in a human snowball, tumbling down the slope.

White, pink and yellow swirled before his eyes as they tumbled backgrounds down the hill, with a hiss, he felt his arm snag on various twigs hidden under the snow and before he knew it, they had stopped – each laying on the floor amongst the snow.

"Naruto," Sakura sighed from her spot on the ground next to Sasuke.

"Heh, sorry Sakura-chan."

His apologies fell on deaf ears. Sasuke, noticing the uncharacteristic silence from the girl, twisted his head to look at her, only to find her already standing and walking towards the frozen lake. Snow burned against his cheek as he laid there.

It was difficult to find something to be angry or stressed about on a day like that day. In a surprising bought of serenity and peace, Sasuke simply watched her as she stopped at the lakes edge, hands raising to her chest. Blinking slowly, he realised how much she stood out against the whiteness of that day. Her hair as pink as the petals in the trees and the red of her dress made her stand out like a sore thumb. For a moment, he realised he could only focus her. It was like trying to look at the blank space on a page when there was something colourful and interesting drawn in the middle. She really wasn't ninja material in terms of appearance, he thought amusedly. He sat up, drawing his eyes off her and rubbing the snow from his hair and clothes.

"Naruto," She said, just above a soft call, "Sasuke-kun, come here."

Sasuke frowned slightly, brows scrunching together in confusion before he rose to his feet. Naruto following suit, ran up to Sakura stopping at her side. Taking much more cautious steps than the other boy, who clearly still hadnt learnt his lesson, he trod up to Sakura's other side. Both boys glanced at their female teammate, whose gaze was locked on the scene overlooking the lake.

She had thought the training grounds look beautiful but this was absolutely breath-taking. She took a deep breath out, leaving a cloud in front of her face, a small flicker in her eyes as she glanced the distance.

"Its snowing," She said lightly, a small smile lighting up her whole face. Sasuke glanced up in well-concealed shock, he hadn't even realised the small snowflakes which had begun to fall from the sky. A contented sigh from Sakura bought his eyes back to her. She looked so _peaceful_.

As her eyes set on the snow softly falling over the glistening landscape that was the lake, the snow layering the dark trees in the distance and the grey/orange glow of the sky, she smiled closing her eyes. Her hands fell downwards, fingers suddenly wrapping around both her team-mates own hands. Naruto looked pleasantly surprised as he looked at their hands, before a huge smile broke out over his face.

"I never want to forget this day," She whispered.

As Sasuke glanced at their hands, admittedly his rather tense hand, and then out at the snow covering near everything in sight, he suddenly doubted he would forget it either.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

_You know Sasusaku didnt have many fluffy moments in pre-shippuden so this was sort of difficult to write without it being OOC._

_But, yeah, i hope that this wasnt too or at all OOC because, again, I HATE THAT. _

_Anyways, lemme know what you think! I'll also be needing ideas as to how to finish this fic too (completely at a loss)_


	13. Midnight Down

_I was asked to write this one so here ya go :) Based on a doujinshi - which you should definitely go find. _

* * *

**Midnight Down**

* * *

"_I'll stay with Sakura-chan!"_

"_What are you saying! Sasuke-kun injured his leg, you go!"_

"_Aw Sakura-chan…"_

And so here they were. The Chunin exams had been difficult, to say the least, so far for team 7. Rough fingers tugged the new bandage around the wound on his leg, the boy grimacing slightly when the knot tied felt too tight against the still healing gash. His eyes trailed up from his leg, to the girl lying across from him, taking a much needed nap while Naruto was away.

Onyx eyes scanned across her battered appearance, the thick gauze over one of her eyes and her hair as short as he's ever seen it. He had been surprised when he had worked out what had happened – Sakura going up against the Sound nins was a ridiculous thought and he found maybe a smidgen more respect for her because of it, even if it did result in her being beaten to a bloody pulp. His gaze eventually rested on her hand; there was something odd about the skin tone and with a slight narrowing of his eyes, he realised what it was.

_Bruises?_

He tried to recall what would have made much a mark and with a sudden rush of realisation, his eyes widened slightly as the hazy memory came back to him.

"_Sasuke-kun! I'm here!"_

A knot twisted in his stomach as he remembered Sakura being there when he had received his curse mark. His memories of the moment were hazy at best, he could really only recall mind-numbing pain.

But she _had _been there.

And she _had _held his hand.

He could barely tear his eyes from the blue/black patches on her alabaster skin, scarcely believing he had caused her that much pain without even realising. Why hadn't she said anything about it? A stab of rage fled through him as he thought more about it.

"_I'll protect you guys."_

That had been the silent promise he had given them- his teammates.

Yet here she was, battered and bruised.

It wasn't just her. Images of Naruto, blood streaming down his face, as he faced the giant snake within the first few hours of them being in the forest flew to his mind too. Both of them had fought their battles, and then there was him, a day back, lying on the dirt ground with a wet flannel over his head, just about emerging from the throes of a fever. His fingernails dug into the dirt, knuckles turning white at the thought.

_Weak._

The anger this time felt more concentrated, felt like it was traveling all the way through his body before eventually caused a searing pain on his shoulder.

"_I told you, you can't save anyone." _

A blur cast over his mind for a few seconds, he didn't see Sakura stir, and it was as if the heat from his shoulder was throbbing in the need to flow free, an ache which wanted to grow and consume. Somewhere in the haze, their fingers brushed ever so slightly and his hand raised to his shoulder, somehow mentally willing the feeling to recede and for, whatever it was, to just be mollified and calm.

"Sasuke-kun," She whispered in worry as she felt his trembling hand. Wrapping her fingers around his hand and placing her free one on top his knuckles, she shuffled forward. "It's that mark isn't it?"

His head was bowed, not allowing her to see his expression. All she knew was that he was in pain. She squeezed his fingers ever so slightly, ignoring the small ache in her own. Slowly, as the mark calmed from a frantic stabbing to a dull, persistent pulse, he lifted his eyes to meet hers.

"Sakura," She looked at him with worried eyes. Quickly, he bowed his head once more as a bought of heat ran back to the mark.

"_Someday, I'll be strong, strong enough to get back at _him."

"_I'll accomplish something."_

"Gomen," He said barely louder than a mumble, angry with himself. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes widened in surprise, before they softened as she looked at his expression. She pulled him towards her slightly and looped an arm around his neck, leaning her head into his good shoulder. Now it was his turn to look surprised. His stance was awkward and suddenly he couldn't bare the fact that she was holding his hand again. But he closed his eyes anyway, a moment of weakness call it.

"Sasuke-kun," She mumbled against him, "Thank you for always protecting me."

"But I also want to protect the people who are important to me," Unbeknown to her, his expression was one of disdain and stubborn – almost, _almost _pouting against her shoulder.

"So when you got hurt…" She stopped there, but the happy sigh against his neck explained what she meant. She was happy with herself, that much was clear.

Somewhere along the lines, he agreed to help bandage her hand while she rambled continuously.

"Do you know the meaning of a three man team?" She chirped, "It's to share a common destiny."

In his mind, this was a ridiculous notion. How could that be true in any sense? Naruto wanted to be Hokage, he wasn't even sure of Sakura's ambitions and as for himself, well, his destiny was not one that he imagined either of his teammates being able to participate in.

"…Ino taught me that." She smiled, lifting her newly bandaged hand, "So it's normal for me to have a strong will to fight and protect my teammates like you and Naruto, right?"

"I see," He smirked slightly, understanding her words, looking at the ground.

"But Ino definitely went overboard with the first aid!" She said, with a nervous laugh "I look ugly" A small smile the only remainder of past moments happiness. That made him look up at her downcast expression.

"Maybe she did it on purpose," She frowned, looking utterly disheartened as she stared at the ground between them.

In an act of pure instinct, he slowly raised his hand up towards her face, moving a few strands away from her face so he could see the thick patch over her bloody eye. She instantly tensed slightly, not expecting the sudden contact from the boy and glanced up at him.

"Ano," He mumbled with a small smirk, "Don't you think its sort of…cool?"

His almost desperate failing attempt at comforting her made her blush, and suddenly her expression of shock melted into a glee as she burst into giggles. As images of Sasuke, curse mark marring his skin, attacked and mercilessly broke the arms of the sound ninja flew into her mind, she couldn't help but let the relief of seeing '_her Sasuke-kun_' slip through onto her face. He had retracted his hand slightly at her laugh, though he did not miss how she leant forward into his hand again, her visible eye turning glassy. Her eyes closed as the tears fell down her cheeks, barely muffling a sob as she leaned against his palm. She felt the stress and emotions of the last few days just flow from her and everything she had felt when trying to ward off the Sound Ninja just slipped out and she found she couldn't stop.

At some point, she sank forward, wrapping her arms around his middle and leant into his neck. He sat against the tree behind him and let her. He reflected on the girl attached to him. The times when the curse took over and he saw darkness, she was there and pulled him out of it. He didn't know how but she did. Her wavering voice broke him from his thoughts as he glanced down to her hair.

"I don't care if you have some great hidden power," His eyes flickered in confusion.

"Even if you go looking for power somewhere else," Her voice wavered, "To get your revenge, I'll be okay."

_Sakura…_

She sniffed, muffling a sob, "We'll wait for you here."

His eyes widened slightly, how did she –

"And I'll be the one to say, 'welcome home'" Her voice broke, and he felt her body shudder with a new wave of sobs.

"Thank you." His arms hadn't hesitated to wrap around her shoulders, pulling her that tiny bit closer. Somewhere, deep down, he needed that reassurance from her.

Sakura tensed against him, tears still spilling down her cheeks as she heard him mumble into her hair. His arms felt foreign around her but she savoured the moment nonetheless and although her words had been truthful, the reality of what she was saying and what he had just thanked her for, washed down on her and she swore she had never felt a heart-wrenching ache like it.

It was, almost, as if she had lost him already.

"Sa-Sasuke-kun," She whimpered, teeth gritted in an attempt to stop the sobs which were so likely to make her hysterical, leaning in to him as close as she could get, the material on the back his shirt clenched tightly in her fists. He closed his eyes, leaning his head down slightly as she cried and convulsed against him, tears mingling into his shirt.

"_Ill…be the one to welcome you back,"_

_Sakura, thank you._

* * *

_**-x-**  
_

* * *

_Soooooo, yeah. Not my best work admittedly. _

_This one was actually really difficult to write. Because even though the doujinshi is so beautiful and doesnt make them seem OOC in the slightest, actually translating the images to written word was sort of hard, if you can see where i'm coming from?_

_Anyway, i've decided this fic will finish on the 15th chapter because thats a really nice number._

_ALSO, BRIGHTERTHANLIGHT, YOU'RE A GENIUS. I LOVE IT. THANKYOU. _


	14. Hanabi

_Penultimate chapter guys! Sorry for all the doujinshis at once but i had literally no idea what to do for this chapter!_

* * *

**Hanabi**

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

"Today's mission was pretty easy! It's still morning and we're already finished!"

"Ne, Kakashi you should make all missions like this!" Naruto beamed as he walked ahead of the group, hands behind his head.

"You know I'm not the one who gives out the missions, right..." Kakashi muttered, chuckling slightly.

"You baka, Naruto!" Sakura said, "Plus I thought you wanted harder missions!" She was in a good mood this morning, it was hard not to be when their missions had been nothing short of incredibly easy and it was fresh, Spring morning.

Sasuke walked quietly behind his other two teammates, watching them talk. He was just content walking in silence, without having them bothering him. However, something _had_ been bothering him for the last 10 minutes and once he noticed it, it couldn't stop looking. A little while back, something had fluttered off one of the trees and landed on Sakura's hair. The petal was pink in colour and so it had almost instantly camouflaged with her hair, though as he had stared at it, he realised it was not _quite _the same colour and so hence his annoyance.

"Oi Sakura," He said finally, catching her attention, making her turn, "There's something in your hair."

Sakura tensed and gingerly raised her fingers to her hair, "No way, it's not a bug is it?! Get it out!" He watched in vague annoyance as she continued to squeal and fuss.

Rolling his eyes slightly, he raised his hand to her hair, "Tch, just hold still."

"O-oh, okay," The girl flushed, her hands laced at her chest as she watched him from the corner of her eye. Fingers nimbly picked out the petal, holding in front of her eyes. Confusion spread across his face as her own expression seemed to light up as she looked at the small, pink petal. All three male members of team 7 jumped when she suddenly let out a large squeal, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"What's the matter, Sakura-chan? Something about this Sakura blossom…?" Naruto said, scratching the side of his head as he looked between her gleeful expression and the small segment of blossom.

"It's Hanami!" She said in delight, looking at the three of them with bright eyes, barely able to contain her excitement. Naruto suddenly seemed to share her excitement as he too, started beaming. Kakashi smiled at his delighted students – all except Sasuke, who was looking bewildered, still holding the small petal between his fingers.

The small petal signified the time of year when Hanabi festival came to Konoha. The traditional firework festival left people sitting on hillsides for hours during the day, waiting for the night when the sky would light up with colours. Not only that, but it just so happened to coincide with the time of year when the Cherry Blossom trees came into bloom – adding the beauty of the festival. It really was a beautiful thing and it was one of Sakura's favourite festivals.

"This is sudden even for you," Sasuke frowned at the girl, making her, too, frown "Where would we go? All the decent spots would have been taken by now." Sasuke's pessimism made Kakashi chuckle quietly. It was amusing how alike they were, the young boy had just voiced his own thoughts.

"Ah don't worry!" She brightened, "I know a place that's right up there where we can have a picnic! It should be fine! Remember you'd have to bring something too" Pointing to some hills in the distance.

Looking back at her teammates, she realised Kakashi and Sasuke were still looking unconvinced. Her smile softened slightly, "I promised myself when we became Genin, that when Hanabi came around, I'd go with everyone to see all the cherry blossom trees in bloom. So what do you think?" She smiled at her teammates, hoping that she had convinced them this time.

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered enthusiastically, joining in on Sakura's excitement. Even Kakashi's expression had lightened, as if he had finally come around.

"Sorry but no." Sasuke said coldly, turning away from them and stuffing his hands into his pockets. Sakura's expression dropped in disappointment and she rushed up to him.

"Sasuke-kun! Please go!" She grabbed his collar in a rare boost of confidence, making him tense in alarm, "It won't be a picnic if you're not there!" Behind them, Naruto slumped in disappointment, no alone time with Sakura this time.

"Please Sasuke-kun," She lowered her head slightly, looking at him sadly from under her lashes, "Just this once, for me?"

"Tch," Even with his head turned stubbornly away from her, he could still feel her gaze burning into the side of his face.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei, over here!" Sakura called, rising up on her knees to wave their teacher over to their space under the tree.

"Gomen, I couldn't really find the place…" The man mumbled as he slowly approached his students, hands in pockets.

"Yeah yeah," Naruto shouted, "We're not even on mission and you're still LATE!"

"Heh heh, looks like _all _of team 7 is here after all," Kakashi teased as he leant over Sasuke who seemed to be sulking, noting his sour expression, "Isnt that nice,"

"Sit down Sensei!" Sakura said excitedly, drawing his attention away from the boy, much to Sasuke's stubborn relief. Kakashi muttered something like 'okay, okay,' back before sitting opposite Sakura.

"What did you bring?" Naruto asked, craning his neck to see what sort of treat their teacher had bought to their picnic.

"I bought snacks!" Sakura beamed, holding up packets of various savoury and sweet treats.

"I bought miso ramen!" Naruto held his noodles up like a trophy, glee almost oozing from him. Sakura sweatdropped and shook her head lightly, giving the boy a short sigh.

"Heh, Naruto, how are you going to eat that with no water?" Kakashi asked, making Naruto shriek in realisation and slump to the floor.

"Oh, I completely forgot about that!" "Baka, Naruto." Sasuke watched in disdain as his teammates exchanged laughs and acted happier than he had seen them in a while. His sour expression refused to leave his face as Naruto began to whine about his ramen.

_Idiot…_

He watched as Sakura eagerly asked what Kakashi had bought, eliciting a gleam to Kakashi's eye. Sasuke frowned, he certainly didn't trust such an expression.

"I bought…." He began to slowly reveal whatever was behind his back, "This!" He said, holding two bottles of drink in front of them, the front of them decorated with white and pink flowers.

"What's that?" Sakura asked in confusion, while Naruto and Sasuke looked on too. Sasuke, in particular, eyed the bottles suspiciously.

"This is sweet Sake!" He said, "If we're going to have a picnic, we have to have some of this to get started."

"Let's toast!" He raised, popping the lid off the drink.

"I... don't think we need it." Sakura said, her expression matching Sasuke's as their teacher began to pour the liquid into small cups.

"It's just normal drink right…?"

Reluctantly, all three of them gingerly raised their glasses, "Cheers!"

The gleam reappeared in Kakashi's eye as he watched his young, oh so innocent students down the contents of their glasses. Sasuke was the first to react, his eyes widening as the back of his hand came to his mouth. The back of his throat was burning and he choked back the feeling of needing to cough.

"This is-!" He started before he was suddenly cut off by an obnoxious, irritated sigh.

"I'm just so fucking fed up of this."

The foul language made each member turn in shock to face the girl of the group, who was now holding a heavy blush across her cheeks. She was sitting with her arm resting on her knee, her usually bright eyes, hazy and narrowed as she looked at them.

"Sa-Sakura-chan?!"

"What Naruto?" She snapped, turning her head towards him, making him blink in surprise.

"Ugh, why are you always in the way, huh?" The girl sneered, "And you better stop eating Ramen all day, it's not even good f'you! You're really going to mess up your body!" She sighed dramatically, making Naruto gulp and lean back away from her ever so slightly, "I don't know how to deal with you!" She finished.

"And you!" She turned, nearly losing balance at the sudden movement, "Yeah, you Kakashi-sensei!" The older man laughed lightly at the monster he seemed to have created. "Why are you always so late all the time! Maybe you should wait s-sometimes!"

He scratched the back of his head nervously, a wry smile shown in his eye, "Aa, that's true."

Sasuke recoiled backwards, almost unnoticeably, when her gaze flitted to him. Her eyes narrowed and she raised her chin up indignantly.

"And you Sasuke-kun, you being too cool annoys me! I can't even talk to you sometimes!" She snapped, "Maybe you're the annoying one!" Naruto's bark of laughter at her last comment made the Uchiha boy grimace and send his so-called friend a hefty glare in return.

Eventually the boy's laughs resided and he tried to qualm her drunken temper, "Ca-calm down Sakura-chan!"

She turn her eyes to him, her bangs covering one side of her face, making Naruto whimper in fear, she raised another glass towards him.

"Are you saying you don't want the drink I'm offering you?" She said, iciness lacing into her normally sweet tone.

Naruto had dreamed of the day Sakura would ask to get a drink or something with him, but he didn't think it would be so early in his life or so fear inducing.

"I'll drink it! I'll drink it, just don't hurt me!"

"Oh my, it seems Sakura cant handle her liqueur." Kakashi said, the crow's feet appearing by his eye. Sasuke turned to him, eyes wide in dismay.

"You gave us alcohol on purpose?!"

"Oh?" Kakashi took in Sasuke's appearance, sighing in disappointment, "You're okay Sasuke? How dull."

Sasuke glowered at him, "Its not a matter of whether its boring or not, what are you going to do about _that_?!" He pointed angrily to his two team mates who were laughing and giggling by this point, just about ready to start rolling around in mirth.

"Hmmm, that is a point." He said in contemplation, raising a hand to his chin.

"…bye!" Sasuke was about to protest but Kakashi had already disappeared, leaving a thin veil of smoke in the air and layer of leaves on the ground. The boy clenched his fist in anger, trying to keep himself under control.

He turned to his teammates, ready to sort out this ridiculous situation, only to find them both flat out on the grass, asleep. He sighed in part relief, part exasperation. Resting back down beside Sakura, the gleam of the sun reflecting off the sake bottle caught his eye.

_May as well…_

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

After another few swig of the decidedly good tasting drink, he felt the unfamiliar haze fill his head, making every movement slightly more exaggerated and a little less precise. Vaguely blurred onyx eyes landed on the girl laying on the grass, her head near his knee.

_Look at you…_

An uncoordinated hand reached for her hair, brushing a few strands that had fallen into her face.

"Do you even know ….Sa-ku-ra?" He said lightly, blinking slowly as her hair twirled in his fingers.

"…I do," Her voice made him recoil quickly in horror, pulling his hand from her hair, ripping out a few strands in the process, berating himself for being so _stupid_.

"…try my hardest…you too…" She mumbled, "Don't do anything…reckless…"

He relaxed as he realised she was just talking in her sleep.

"Ah okay …I'll try."

"Now to see how they're all doing..."

Kakashi walked up to the scene, genuinely curious. He now had a bet going with Kurenai and Asuma as to how this would plan out. As he came over the top of the hill, his eyes landed on what he wasn't quite expecting. What he _was _expecting was to see an overly embarrassed Sakura apologising profusely to Sasuke, rather than Naruto while Sasuke sulked and Naruto whined about a headache.

_I think I lost the bet. _

What he found was all three of his students sleeping on the grass, the empty sake bottle and cups lying amongst them. Sasuke and Sakura's heads were nearly touching but their bodies facing away from each other, where-as Naruto had gone for the spread eagle, taking up most of the room with his arms and legs outstretched. He blinked in astonishment before straightening up, placing his hands in his pockets. Kakashi couldn't help the feeling of fondness that overcame them as he looked at them.

_My my, all three of them._

"They really are kids."

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

_I love Kakashi, i really do. _

_But yes anyway, sorry for the lame chapter. I honestly hadnt a clue what to do with this one. AND i've already written the final chapter for this so i just wanted to get this one over and done with. _

_But yes, i still like to know what you think! And since the next chapter is the last, i'd really like to know what you thought of the whole 'The Genin Chronicles' in general. _

_So, yeah, dont be shy!_


	15. Thank you

_LAST CHAPTER GUYS. Again, "Thank you" to brighterthanlight to suggesting this as the ending. What a great idea!_

* * *

_**Thank you**_

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

His muscles were tense and he tried to ignore the trembling of his hands as his body reacted to his nails digging into the skin of his hands. Eyes closed to the world, he willed for her to stop talking, to stop _pleading. _The dead of the night and the emptiness of the street only amplified her words – he did not need reassurance right now, he did not need to be convinced to stay.

"If-If you go, it will be the same as being alone!"

His eyes opened slowly at her words, and his hands slid into his pockets.

He would do this, it was his path, he knew it. The constant dull throb of the mark on his neck agreed.

"This is the path I must take. It's different from yours and Naruto's." He told her, refusing to turn around.

Sasuke could hear the breath getting caught in her throat, and the strain in her speech. But what he spoke was true. He couldn't carry on with living in Konoha. The power needed to beat _that man _would not come from their morning training sessions or evening progressing through the ranks.

Where-as most were happy with a normal shinobi life, he knew this could never be.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

Sasuke could not stay here.

Though he developed new precious people in his life, his _home _died with his family when he was eight. The hole that permanently resided in his chest would not be filled by just staying in Konoha with his team mates. Where-as there were fond memories of Team 7, they would never help replace the memories he had of that fateful night, when his family was massacred by his only brother. No Naruto, no Sakura, no Kakashi could ever fix that. There was nothing here for him any more and with a sudden intake of breath, his ears perked up, remembering the girl behind him.

"I..." Her voice faultered for a mere second, "I'm so in love with you I can't even stand it!"

Momentarily, he tensed, his head rising ever so slightly, his brows drawing together in confusion. Love? Her affections had always been obvious – painfully so, but she had never once proclaimed to love him. Nor had she ever mentioned how this affection for him had affected her – to the point where she couldn't even stand the feeling any more. The anguish in the last few words made the boy grimace.

"If you stay here with me," She screamed, "I swear you won't regret it! Please, I-I'd do anything for you!"

The desperation in her voice was almost foreign to his ears. Sakura would worry about him and Naruto fighting on missions, eventually snapping and telling them to stop, but he had never heard the sheer desperation in her voice like he could now. A few taps echoed through the streets and a small scuffle made him think she had stepped towards him. He refused to face her. It was then when she began to sob, no longer taking notice to cover her cries from him. He refused to face her.

Why did she have to be a constant annoyance in his life?

"Please stay here with me!" The way her voice broke at the end, made him shut his eyes, again willing for her to_ stop. _

"Or…if you can't stay," She sobbed, "Take me with you,"

There was a need somewhere residing in the back of his mind, he needed to see if she was serious. It was as if he could feel his muscles twitching in anticipation to either turn around or walk straight out that gate. The idea of leaving had been easy enough, until she happened to turn up. How she even knew he would be here, the boy had no clue.

And had she any idea what she was asking? Sakura wouldn't survive at Orochimaru's hide. The Sound shinobi earlier had already beaten him without even trying – he couldn't imagine what they would do to someone like Sakura.

In a sense of bittersweetness, he found himself smirking at how ridiculous she was sometimes when she wasn't thinking straight. In a spur of the moment, he turned.

"You really are annoying," He told her, finally seeing her expression with his own eyes.

The way her eyes widened made him almost regret his actions – he couldn't deal with this sort of Sakura. He liked it when she was being stupid and annoying and he could ignore her without a second thought. But as he turned back around, he bowed his head slightly, unable to get the image of the girl's expression from his mind. Her eyes were puffy and eyes glassy with unshed tears, her hands clenched so slightly at her chest, he wondered whether she was trying to refrain from trembling so much like himself earlier. He did not like her like this.

He liked her when he had a reason to hate her.

And so he began to walk.

Away from Konoha.

Away from this conversation.

Away from her.

"No!" Her screamed rang out, loud, "If you leave…I'll…I'll scream and-and-"

In one swift movement, he came to stand behind her, knowing this was the end. She would not scream and she would not see him leave. Onyx eyes watched the back of her head as she stilled, and her hands dropped to her sides. Even to this day, when she knew what he was about to do, how he was about to defect from Konoha, she trusted him enough not to turn around.

"Sakura,"

The name forced its way of his tongue, falling into the air and making her gasp, her head rising ever so slightly at the recognition of her name. There really was nothing else to say.

"Arigatou."

And that was her mistake – trusting him.

It was then that he hit her on the back of the neck, hitting her pressure point. To his alarm, she did not fall immediately like most, she stiffened slightly, suddenly aware of his apparent betrayal of her trust before a whispered 'Sasuke…kun' hung in the air and she began to slump to the floor.

With narrowed eyes, he caught her just as her knees brushed the ground. Calloused and cold he may be, but she was someone of importance to him and he was prepared to leave her on the stone floor half way through the night. He wanted to hate her, despise her from keeping him from his true destiny. If she truly _loved _him, she would understand that he needed to go, to leave.

Though, he could not find the strength to truly hate her, not when her words had sounded so honest and so desperate. She had been telling some sort of truth when she was screaming at him, and for that, he hated her even more.

Still behind her, Sasuke's arm slipped under her knees and the other supported her back. The way her head lulled against his chest reminded him of the so many times in missions when she had been knocked out and he had to resort to carrying her.

Except this time, it was him who the enemy, it was him who hit her at her most vulnerable point.

The bench just behind him, came into his peripheral vision suddenly and he moved over to it, slowly kneeling as he placed her down. As a breeze hit the back of his neck and he glanced to the moon, he realised it was quite a cold night and once again, he repressed the feeling of guilt that threatened to emerge if he stayed much longer – the Sound nin were expecting him too. Purposely avoiding looking at her, he went to stand – only to find a small fist, clinging tightly to his shirt, forcing him back to his knees.

"Sakura," He sighed lowly, glancing over her face before he wrapped his fingers around her hand, gently tugging her from him. With a little effort, he succeeded.

Sasuke glanced at her once more, noting the tears that ran still down her cheeks. Their faces were inches apart and he could see the wetness on her eyelashes and the slight tensing of her eyebrows. Painfully slowly, he leant his forehead to hers, and for a moment, he was truly sorry for the fact she ever came across someone like him. Maybe when he was gone, she could learn to hate him. After this evening, it would be better that way. After a few seconds, he pulled himself away, getting to his feet – casting once last glance at the town that held both his best and utterly worst memories.

Scanning the red roofs of the buildings and trees which rustled quietly in the wind, he stole one last glance at the bench before turning and facing the gate. Naruto and Sakura would thrive here, it was obvious and they didn't need him to be around with them. Little did he know how untrue that was. Eyes fixated on the sign above the gate, as he walked from the cobbled street to dirt ground, cursive re-painted writing which read 'Konoha'. His eyes dropped to the ground.

_Take care of them._

* * *

**_-x-_**

_Fin._

* * *

**_AND __ITS DONE. _**

_No, i didnt make them kiss. I just couldnt bring myself to do it. Cmon guys, its Sasuke. A nice little intimate forehead touch will have to suffice. _

_Anyway, yes, thank you all so much for reviewing and sending me personal messages! I'm surprised this has been so popular._

_But you know what this means? A Sasuke returns to Konoha sequel which i'm superrrrrr excited to start writing. _

_Its weird because when you get the occasional genin flashback in other stories youre like GOD THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF THOSE, but when you write a whole fic of them, you realise how restricting it is! Like, you cant write about how Sasuke eventually comes to his senses about Sakura. And you cant make up your own little canon ending for them._

_I just missed writing the little moments that build to when you knowwwww theyre going to get together eventually._

_BUT ANYWAY, THANKS FOR READING AND WATCH THIS SPACE. _


	16. Bonus Chapter: Merry Christmas!

_I couldnt resist! _

* * *

_**Merry Christmas!**  
_

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

Sasuke growled in absolute irritation as he reached up at the plant hanging above his door. Fingers fumbled in the chilly air as the bunch of mistletoe hung just out of his arms reach. A short hiss left his throat as, once again, the prickly leaf bounced out of his fingertips.

The boy had woken up this morning to hear giggling from outside of his front door, followed by incessant banging and hushed whispers. When he had eventually gone to find out what the commotion was, he had found a group of squealing girls outside his door, all looking between him and their ingenious plan in glee. After a few hefty threats and words, the girls had scampered, leaving Sasuke in the predicament he was in now.

"How the hell did they do this," He muttered angrily to himself as his eyes finally came to rest on a highly complicated knot at the base of the stem, attached to the beams on his porch.

As if this holiday could not get any more _annoying. _

Ever since that night, he hated christmas with a passion. There was no point to it if there was no family to share it with. A few years ago he stopped going out anywhere on christmas, where-ever he went he would only see happy families and people would always give him pitiful looks- pity was not something he wanted nor needed. So, now he went out a few days in advance to get food and what not for the few days over christmas. Admittedly, this was the first year he had had to buy other people presents but he planned to give it to them another time. It was much simpler that way. Now, it was just a holiday which helped remind him that he was alone and all his relatives were long dead and gone.

"Oi, Sasuke," The deep, monotonous voice of his teacher, made him twist his head to the street, eyes narrowing slightly as he saw his teammates, with coloured boxes in hand, trailing behind him.

The boy's arms lowered as the remainder of Team 7 stood on the lower step of his porch.

"Merry Christmas, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chirped, raising the presents in her arms with a bright smile, "We bought you presents!"

"They're not all yours obviously," Naruto grinned, "We decided to have Christmas at yours this year, 'ttebayo!"

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, before he was cut off by a grinning Kakashi.

"Hanging mistletoe, Sasuke?" He asked, crow's feet appearing at his eyes and making his teammates raise their eyes to the plant too, "Didn't think you were into that,"

Kakashi chuckled at Sasuke's mortified expression before walking past him and into his house.

"It's not mine" He growled as Naruto edged past him, pressing his back to the door frame, keeping his eyes on his friend at all times - _just in case _Sasuke changed his mind.

_One incident like that with teme is enough!_

A squeak from Sakura, made him flick his gaze towards her, glowering at her with all his might, daring her to say or do anything. She gave him a nervous laugh with a heavy blush before skipping past him and into his house, leaving Sasuke outside, slumping his shoulders in defeat.

_Annoying. _

Crashes and bangs from inside made him let out an irritated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, before he stepped back inside slamming the door behind him.

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

"Ne, Sasuke-kun! Do you mind if I move this over here?"

"Jeez Sasuke, your house is so boring."

"Kaka-sensei, should I move it anyway…"

"Yes Sakura, it looks very nice."

"When are we eating?"

Silently, hands laced in front of his face, he seethed. Dark eyes were narrowed and focused on the coffee table in front of him as he thought of all the better ways he could be spending today. As Sakura awkwardly squeezed past his seat with a box of the remaining decorations, he closed his eyes in irritation, jaw couldn't he just be _alone. _So far, Sakura had strewn tinsel just about everywhere around his living room, with Kakashi's help with high places, and had stuck paper snowflakes onto the windows – which she had made specially apparently. Naruto had found the his present from Sakura fifteen minutes ago and had been shaking it and putting it to his ear ever since.

"Sakura-chan," He shook the small box some more, "Are you sure you even put anything in here?"

Sakura twirled, having finally finished putting up the decorations and put her hands on her hips with a sigh.

"Of course I did! I'm not stupid, Naruto-baka!" She said, shaking her head slightly.

"Maybe we should give out presents now?" Kakashi offered, seeing Sakura get more and more annoyed with the blonde as he dubiously looked at her small present for him.

"Yeah!" Naruto beamed, sitting on the floor suddenly.

Sasuke opened his eyes at this, suddenly hopeful that the quicker they got this over and done with, the quicker they'd be gone. He watched Sakura follow suit and sit on the floor with Naruto, presents stacked neatly in front of her before her eyes raised to him, expectant and bright.

"Come sit down here!" The Christmas spirit seemed to have made her happier and chirpier than normal, he had found.

Slowly he moved over to them, sitting so they were in a triangle formation on his carpet.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura said expectantly, pouting slightly as he didn't move from his seat behind them on the sofa.

"I'm quite fine here, thank you Sakura," He smiled, ironically making her frown. Kakashi pulled out three relatively small boxes from behind him and handed them one each, "Here you go, start with mine"

Three sets of fingers fumbled with paper, Sasuke neatly undoing the tape from the paper, in contrast to Naruto who was noisily ripping his to shreds. The blonde was first to pull out his present, holding it in front of his face.

"A book?!"

"Aa," Sasuke confirmed, holding his own pocket sized book in front of him.

"_100 easy healthy recipes for teenagers who can't cook" _Naruto slowly read aloud, "HEY!"

"_How to deal with popularity while still maintaining your popularity." _Sasuke deadpanned, sending his chuckling teacher a sour look.

"What's yours Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked curiously, craning his neck to see her book, the girl quickly snapping the book close with a pink tainting her cheeks.

"_27 ways to get to the man of your dreams," _She muttered, face turning the colour of her hair, "Kaka-sensei…" She whined quietly, stealing a glance at Sasuke before turning nervous eyes to her teacher.

"Merry Christmas," He said, eyes closed in barely concealed amusement.

Sasuke glanced in annoyance at Sakura, who was now avoiding his gaze. Stubbornly turning his head to the side slightly, he scoffed.

"Tch, just open mine now." He muttered, raising his chin to indicate the presents sitting behind them. Both of his team mates looked vaguely surprised before reaching behind them to pull out the presents. Their shock at him having bought them presents only irritated him more so.

"A new ramen bowl!" Naruto exclaimed in glee, holding the shiny yellow bowl up to the light.

"Ah, Sa-Sasuke-kun," Sakura mumbled in awe, eyes wide, as she carefully pulled her present out of the small velvet pouch, "It's so pretty!"

It was a dainty bracelet.

The silver chain, if you looked closely enough, was made out of very tiny flower petals. It was simple, one of the reasons why Sasuke had bought it.

"T-thankyou!" She smiled brightly, placing it around her wrist, only to realise it was much too big. Her smile dropped ever so slightly in poorly concealed disappointment.

"Ah, Sasuke," Kakashi mumbled, "Never buy something for a woman which is too big." Sasuke eyed him in confusion.

"It almost always makes them think you think they're fat."

He blinked as she aimed her arm downwards and the bracelet fell straight off, making him cringe slightly.

"It's okay!" She laughed lightly, "I'll just get some of the links removed!"

Sasuke heard Kakashi hum in amusement as he continued to look at the girl who was now crossing her arms in a somewhat subconscious manner.

"I think I have put on a bit of weight lately anyway," She laughed nervously, "You were probably right to get a size too big, it'll probably fit me after Christmas!"

What was _happening! _A wave of unease hit Sasuke as he watched the girl fidget and fiddle with the little velvet bag on her lap as Naruto told her that '_you look great Sakura-chan!'. _

"Told you." Kakashi whispered to him, leaning down ever so slightly so the girl wouldn't hear.

Sasuke felt absolutely dumbstruck as he tried to take in the situation and his brows furrowed in confusion. He wanted to tell her that he had just picked a random bracelet and that he hadn't even looked at _sizes. _How was he to know that wrists were different sizes!

"Sakura-"

"NOW MINE, OPEN MINE!" Just as her eyes raised to his, Naruto cut him off and threw their presents at them. Her eyes lingered on his face for a moment before she glanced down to her thin, badly wrapped present.

"Heh, I like the wrapping Naruto," She remarked with a small laugh, Sasuke still looking as bewildered as ever.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll get over it." Kakashi chuckled, "But then again…" Thoroughly enjoying his students anguish.

"Shut up, Kakashi" He hissed, drawing his teammates attention to him.

"I think you better open your present, Sasuke-kun." Sakura smiled nervously, holding up her 5 packets of instant ramen.

Sasuke's face dropped as he, too, revealed 5 packets of ramen – 3 tomato, 2 miso.

"Now mine!" Sakura squealed, clasping her hands in front of her.

"ME FIRST!" Naruto yelled, tearing open the thin paper to reveal a card. Confusion spread over his face and he glanced towards the girl, silently asking for some sort of explanation - which only made Sakura beam.

"Read it, baka" She smiled, watching his reaction, as he opened the gift card and read the official writing.

"Naruto Uzamaki is entitled to 12 months of FREE RAMEN AT ICHIRAKU RAMEN," He cried, tears actually welling up in his blue eyes. "Sakura-chan!" He sniffed, before making her yelp as he pulled her into a bear hug. She laughed as he rocked her from side to side and thanked her profusely.

"Okay okay, Sasuke-kun has to open his." She said, prying herself away from the boy, green eyes raising expectantly to Sasuke, who heaved the two thick, heavy presents onto his lap.

Fingers pulled at the ribbon and immaculately wrapped paper to reveal two thick, old looking books. Kakashi leaned over the boy, straining to read the writing on the front.

"_The complete list of lightning jutsus and how to modify your own," _Kakashi read, eying the other book which was the same but for fire jutsus.

"Ne, they must have been fairly expensive," He said absent mindedly, watching Sasuke's reaction.

Sasuke touched the rough cover of the old books, marvelling at their age and flicked slowly through a few pages, eyes scanning the different diagrams and hand signs on each page. She knew him well, he realised and he fought back a small smirk which was threatening to slip onto his face at the gesture. Sakura watched him nervously, secretly knowing his reaction meant the most to her, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. Without even noticing, when he glanced up at her with a blank face, she held her breath.

"Arigatou," His voice was soft, "Sakura."

The tone of his voice made her left out a relieved sigh and her entire face brightened up, thrilled that Sasuke had liked his present.

"You're welcome," She beamed, eyes closed in glee.

Sasuke glanced back down at the books, enthralled with them already. Sakura had known exactly what he wanted, but, as he stole a glance at the bracelet pouch once again, he realised his present didn't even compare to hers. Sasuke couldn't help but feel the creeping feeling of shame crawling into his stomach as he recalled how the bracelet had slipped from her wrist due to his poor judgement. To make it worst, somehow, she had then thought that Sasuke was planning ahead for her putting on weight over Christmas – a completely ridiculous notion, he would never do such a thing.

He simply couldn't get it off his mind. He should have got a smaller bracelet and she should be wearing it now.

"Ah, Kaka-sensei!" Sakura said suddenly, as if still remembering he was there, "We all pulled together to get yours!"

All three of team 7 watched as Kakashi opened his envelope to find 6 tickets to the next 6 Icha Icha movies. Kakashi uncharacteristically let out a high pitched whimper as he held the tickets to his face, happiness just about kept in check. Suddenly recalling that all of his students were watching him, he coughed and drew his gaze to them, to find Sakura and Naruto giggling and Sasuke watching with an eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Ah," He cleared his throat, "Thank you very much," He smiled.

Sakura absent mindedly turned to the clock and, noticing the time, let out a cry of surprise. Hastily getting to her feet.

"I'm really sorry, Sasuke-kun," She frowned apologetically, "I have to go, my parents want me home for 4 to see…ah-" It sounded as if she was going to say 'family' before she became aware of whom she was talking to.

"Hn, its fine." Sasuke said rising to his feet.

Kakashi and Naruto followed suit, the blonde struggling to carry all of his presents.

"Ah, I'll walk you home Sakura," Kakashi said, "It's getting dark out."

"Hai, arigatou,"

"I guess I should be going too," Naruto beamed at Sasuke as they walked to the door, "Merry Christmas teme!" He laughed.

"Tch, dobe," He smirked as Naruto walked away, Kakashi giving a casual wave as he followed the other boy.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the bridge Sasuke-kun," Sakura said, spinning on her heel as she stood in the door way, "Merry-"

"I'm sorry about your bracelet," He cut her off quickly, mumbled words coming out so quickly she could barely understand them"I didn't know wrists were different sizes."

Sakura blinked at his apology, a small smile breaking out across her face, green eyes softening. She nearly giggled at his explanation, but she couldn't find the heart to laugh at him for it.

"That's really okay," She said quietly, tilting her head and smiling at him.

"Tch," He turned his head to the side, closing his eyes stubbornly, "It doesn't even fit-"

He suddenly felt something warm on his cheek and when he snapped his head back to face her, he felt the same lightning-quick warmth on his lips. The warmth was gone in seconds and he stared wide eyed at the girl who was now standing with her fingers at her lips, slashes of pink across her cheeks.

He blinked in astonishment. Had Sakura just-

"Merry Christmas, Sasuke-kun." She said softly, eyes raising quickly to something above his head before her chin dipped in a shy smile. No quicker had she said it, did she turn on her heel, still smiling, and run off to catch up to Kakashi.

Sasuke, eyes still relatively wide in alarm, felt a sudden flush of heat rise up his neck and gather on his ears.

Dark eyes eventually rose to see the offending pieces of mistletoe still attached to the top of his porch.

Suddenly he felt the tugs at the corners of his lips. Resisting a smirk with all his might, he decided to leave it for now and stepped back inside his house, slowly closing the door behind him.

Well, it wasn't causing any harm, was it?

* * *

**-x-**

* * *

_WELL._

_Merry christmas to you all! I hope that was cute enough for you all haha!_


End file.
